# Finland drone-related air and sea restrictions > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/finland-drone-related-gulf-traffic-restrictions > Updated: 2026-08-14T01:25:43.000Z. Sources: 79. Developments: 4. Finland’s Defence Forces have repeatedly imposed brief air‑space and maritime closures in the Gulf of Finland and along the southern coast bordering Russia as precautionary measures against stray Ukrainian drones targeting Russian facilities. A first temporary restriction on 4 July 2026 halted both air and sea traffic around Kotka; the closure was lifted later that morning after no drones were detected. A second, similar Kotka restriction was announced on 18 July 2026 and lifted the same day once Finnish authorities confirmed the airspace was clear. On 28 July 2026 the Finnish military expanded the precautionary approach, closing a sector of national airspace and limiting maritime traffic along the southern coastline adjacent to Russia. Officials cited the risk that unmanned aerial vehicles, already observed crossing the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, could reach Finnish territory. A defence spokesperson said the steps ensure authorities can act safely if drones enter the region, while the army declined to disclose the intelligence source, describing it as operational information. NATO members warned that Russian electronic interference can divert Ukrainian drones into NATO airspace, and Moscow accused Kyiv of deliberately steering them toward NATO borders. No injuries or damage were reported. On 14 August 2026, Finland established a temporary exclusion zone for air and sea traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland. This coincided with an incident in neighboring Latvia, where an air raid alarm was issued after an unidentified drone entered the Balvi region. NATO fighter jets successfully shot down the drone, which Latvian officials suggested was likely a foreign object diverted by Russian electronic warfare. This occurred alongside reports from Russia’s Leningrad region that 15 drones were shot down overnight. ## Claims - NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace. (corroborated by 20 sources) - Latvia issued and subsequently lifted an air raid alert for regions near the Russian border. (corroborated by 20 sources) - The drone entered Latvian airspace due to Russian electronic warfare. (corroborated by 19 sources) - The Latvian military issued a public alert advising citizens to remain indoors due to a perceived threat. (corroborated by 16 sources) - Finland established a temporary exclusion zone for air and sea traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland. (corroborated by 13 sources) - Russia shot down 15 drones in the Leningrad region overnight. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The measures were taken due to the risk of stray unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) entering the area. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Finland's army did not disclose the source of intelligence about possible drone activity, calling it operational information. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Finland closed a part of its airspace on July 28 near the Russian border. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-14: Latvia shoots down drone in airspace; Finland restricts Baltic Sea traffic NATO fighter jets shot down a drone in Latvian airspace following an air raid alert. Finland also restricted maritime and air traffic in the Gulf of Finland due to drone concerns. 65 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/latvia-shoots-down-drone-after-air-raid-alarm ### 2026-07-28: Finland Closes Airspace and Limits Maritime Traffic Near Russia Over Drone Threat Finland closed part of its airspace and limited maritime traffic near Russia after stray Ukrainian drones entered NATO airspace, citing safety concerns; no injuries reported. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/finland-closes-airspace-and-limits-sea-traffic-near-russia-over-drone-threat ### 2026-07-18: Finland lifts temporary Kotka maritime closure after drone threat Finland lifted a Saturday‑morning maritime closure off Kotka after a precautionary drone threat linked to the Ukraine‑Russia conflict, with no drones detected and the area reopened at 09:00. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/finland-lifts-temporary-kotka-maritime-closure-after-drone-threat ### 2026-07-04: Finland restricts air and sea traffic in Gulf of Finland amid Russian drone attacks Finland temporarily closed air and sea routes in the Gulf of Finland on 4 July 2026 after drone attacks on north‑western Russia, lifting the restrictions later that morning. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/finland-restricts-air-and-sea-traffic-in-gulf-of-finland-amid-russian-drone-attacks --- Cite as: Finland drone-related air and sea restrictions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/finland-drone-related-gulf-traffic-restrictions