Estonia has closed its airspace along the border with Russia

Estonia has become the third country in Europe to impose a temporary ban on flights along its border with Russia. Earlier similar measures were taken by Finland and Latvia. The decision in Estonia was explained by "the activity of Russian troops and Ukrainian drones in the Leningrad Region", the ERR website reported .

The Estonian Air Force said the restrictions are in effect along the country's eastern border, daily from 20:00 to 07:00 at altitudes of up to 6,000 metres, and will last for at least several weeks. Air Force Commander Riivo Valge said the ban was aimed at increasing airspace control.

We are only restricting some of the aerial activity. This means that those who justify their actions in advance - such as the Police and Border Guard Department when they searched for a missing person using a drone - can continue to operate. The measure was introduced so that surveillance operators have fewer targets to track, and in the event of an incident, it will be easier to divert peaceful aircraft away from the area or land them," Valge explained.

ERR said that the introduction of the restricted zone is due to the Defence Forces' need to conduct more detailed aerial surveillance, training activities and enhanced airspace protection, while ensuring the safety of air traffic.