Romanian F-16 jets shot down a UAV entering Estonian airspace from Russia on May 19, 2026, amid intense Russian electronic warfare.

On May 19, 2026 at 12:14 PM local time, Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jets, based in Lithuania and operating under the Baltic Air Policing mission, downed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that entered Estonian airspace from Russian airspace in the South-Eastern corner of Estonia. The UAV, likely of Ukrainian origin, was heading northeast and was intercepted south of Põltsamaa town. The engagement occurred amid heavy Russian electronic warfare, including GPS spoofing and jamming. The UAV was under constant air surveillance monitoring and visually identified prior to engagement to prioritize civilian safety. The operation was led by the Latvian Control and Reporting Center. The Estonian Internal Security Service has launched a criminal investigation for an attack against air traffic safety.