State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrei Kartapolov commented on the incident involving a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying into Estonian airspace, which was intercepted and shot down by NATO fighter jets on May 18, 2026.

Speaking to the SHOT Telegram channel, General Kartapolov stated that Kyiv is deliberately provoking Russia's neighbors, attempting to draw them into the conflict. "It will hurt everyone," the deputy concluded. He added that the outcome of such provocations would be tragic, not only for the Ukrainian authorities but also for the residents of the countries over which these drones fly.

Earlier, on May 18, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur reported that a NATO Baltic Air Policing fighter jet had shot down a drone, presumably Ukrainian, over Estonian territory for the first time. The drone, which had flown in during daylight, was shot down over Lake Võrtsjärv in southern Estonia. There were no reports of civilian casualties.