NATO says it has responded after Russian military jets “violated” Estonian airspace, as the Baltic state formally requested a consultation with the military bloc.
In a statement, the Estonian government said the incident involved three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that flew near Vaindloo Island, in the Gulf of Finland, for a total of 12 minutes without permission.
A NATO spokesperson said the Russian jets “violated Estonian airspace” and “NATO responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft”.
“This is yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO’s ability to respond.”
US President Donald Trump said the reported incursion “could be big trouble”.
However, a statement from the Russian military said the flight was “scheduled” and had been in “strict accordance” with airspace rules.
The statement read: “On September 19 of this year, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets made a scheduled flight from Karelia to an airfield in the Kaliningrad region.
“The flight was conducted in strict accordance with the International Rules for the Use of Airspace, without violating the borders of other states, as confirmed by objective monitoring means.
“During the flight, the Russian aircraft did not deviate from the agreed air route and did not violate Estonian airspace. The flight route of the aircraft passed over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea basin at a distance of more than three kilometers from the island of Vaindlo.”
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Romania scrambles fighter jets
Foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said Russia had already violated Estonian airspace four times this year, “which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen”.
“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure,” he added.
‘Utterly unacceptable’
Estonia is the third NATO country to report an incursion of its airspace by Russia in recent weeks: On Sunday, Romania said a drone breached its airspace during a Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
Poland also reported an “unprecedented violation” of its airspace by more than a dozen Russian drones last week. Moscow denied responsibility for the incident.
The UK had previously summoned the Russian ambassador in London in response to the “utterly unacceptable” Romanian and Polish incursions.
The Russian defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, its jets routinely fly over the Baltic Sea, where its Baltic Fleet is based.
In the wake of the incident, Estonia requested an Article 4 consultation, which allows NATO members to formally bring an issue to the attention of the North Atlantic Council, to meet and discuss when “the territorial integrity, political independence or security” of any state is threatened.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said that the council will convene early next week to discuss the incident in more detail.
Sweden’s military released images late on Friday that it said showed a Russian fighter jet over the Baltic Sea after it had left Estonian airspace.
Sweden released images said to show a Russian fighter jet that violated Estonian airspace. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Incursion ‘not a coincidence’: Zelenskyy
While incursions over Vaindloo Island, around 124 miles from Estonia’s capital Tallinn, by Russian aircraft are somewhat common, they do not usually last as long as Friday’s incident.
In response, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the UK “stands with our Estonian allies” after what she called “yet another reckless incursion into NATO airspace”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that the incursion was “unacceptable” and added: “This is not a coincidence.
“It is a systematic Russian campaign against Europe, against NATO, against the West. And it requires a systematic response. Strong actions are necessary, both joint and from each individual country.”
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Trump says incident ‘could be big trouble’
Mr Trump also commented on the incident during a news conference at the White House, and said he was “going to have a look” at the reports.
After saying he would be briefed on the incursion, he said: “Well, I don’t love it. I don’t love it when that happens. Could be big trouble.”
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Is Russia getting ‘ready for war with NATO’?
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said: “We will respond to every provocation with determination while investing in a stronger Eastern flank.”
She added that “as threats escalate, so too will our pressure”, before calling on European leaders to approve a new round of sanctions which would ban Russian liquified natural gas.
Putin ‘testing the West’s resolve’: EU official
Europe’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also said the “violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russian military aircraft is an extremely dangerous provocation”.
She added that the EU “stands in full solidarity with Estonia”, and said: “We will continue to support our member states in strengthening their defences with European resources.
“Putin is testing the West’s resolve. We must not show weakness.”
Estonia’s government said in May that Russia had briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea during an attempt to stop a Russian-bound oil tanker thought to be part of a “shadow fleet” defying Western sanctions on Moscow.
It added that the Russian deputy ambassador was summoned and given a protest note.
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Russia threatening Finland like Ukraine, says thinktank
It comes after analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested Russia has launched an information campaign against Finland – with echoes of how it built up to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The thinktank noted senior figures in Moscow, including members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, have been making a series of statements designed to threaten the neighbouring country.
Its analysts said: “High-ranking Kremlin officials have increased threats against Finland in recent weeks, including by using language that mirrors the Kremlin’s false justifications for its invasions of Ukraine.
“ISW continues to assess that the playbook Russia is currently using to threaten NATO mirrors the playbook Russia previously used to set informational conditions justifying its aggression against Ukraine.”
