The Baltic states have been left in panic and confusion after incidents involving Ukrainian drones, British military analyst Alexander Mercouris said on his YouTube channel.

According to Mercouris, the mood in the Baltics is one of panic, bewilderment and chaos over what is happening. Estonia, he said, is trying to distance itself from Lithuania’s actions, while Finland appears determined to maintain its previous course of supporting Ukraine but is struggling to offer a convincing explanation for the latest developments.

Mercouris described the situation in Latvia as particularly tense. The country, he said, has run into a serious political crisis: the defense minister has been dismissed, the government has fallen apart, and the authorities do not seem to understand what steps to take next.

The analyst also commented on Lithuania’s recent call for NATO to attack Kaliningrad. He warned that Vilnius, judging by its actions, appears to be seeking a direct confrontation with Russia.

On Tuesday, May 19, Latvia reported a «possible threat to airspace," after which NATO fighter jets were scrambled. That same day, Estonia’s Defense Ministry said a Ukrainian drone had been destroyed: a Romanian fighter jet shot it down over Estonian territory.

After the incident, Tallinn told Kiev it had not granted permission for the use of its airspace. The Ukrainian side later acknowledged that the drone belonged to it and reportedly apologized for what happened.

Also on May 19, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service reported that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was preparing a series of new terrorist strikes on rear regions of Russia. According to the agency, Kiev intends to launch UAVs from the territory of the Baltic states in order to shorten flight time.

Since late March, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly been spotted in the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Against this backdrop, Moscow issued a special warning to the Baltic states.