The Prosecutor's Office has closed its investigation into a drone that struck a smokestack at the Auvere Power Plant because it was unable to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.
"Because the drone was so extensively destroyed in the collision and explosion, it was not possible to reliably determine its origin from the remaining fragments," State Prosecutor Gardi Anderson said.
According to Anderson, the Prosecutor's Office carried out all possible and reasonable investigative procedures to establish the circumstances of the incident, but the evidence gathered does not allow the investigation to continue effectively or anyone to be held responsible.
"If new information or evidence emerges that could help establish the circumstances of the incident more precisely, we can reopen the investigation," Anderson added.
The Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS/KAPO) said the information gathered during the investigation did not indicate that the drone's entry into the Auvere Power Plant grounds was a deliberate act directed against Estonia.
"As long as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine, we can expect to see more incidents like this. Drones are weapons of war and if one is found, people should keep their distance to protect themselves and others and report the discovery," ISS Deputy Director General Andres Ratassepp emphasized.
At 3:43 a.m. on March 25 this year, a drone struck a smokestack at the Auvere Power Plant near the Russian border, causing an explosion. The smokestack was damaged, but no one was injured and the incident did not affect the operation of the electricity system.
Criminal proceedings were launched to investigate the incident on suspicion of causing an explosion.
During the investigation, authorities examined, among other possibilities, whether the drone could have been a Ukrainian drone that had veered off course. To investigate this possibility, they consulted Ukrainian experts and commissioned a forensic examination. However, the information gathered did not establish the drone's origin.
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