NATO has responded immediately after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes on Friday, in what officials described as an “unprecedentedly brazen” incursion that marks the third breach of allied territory in recent weeks.
The Russian jets, which are capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles, entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland without permission, flying back and forth before Italian F-35 fighters intercepted and “pushed them out,” according to NATO sources.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna condemned the violation, stating: “Russia has already violated Estonia’s 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.”
The incident represents a significant escalation in Russian provocations against NATO’s eastern flank, following drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace earlier this month that prompted alliance members to strengthen their defences.
A NATO spokesperson confirmed the alliance “responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft,” describing the violation as “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO’s ability to respond.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that “Putin is testing the West’s resolve” and called the incident “an extremely dangerous provocation.
“We must not show weakness,” Ms Kallas said, adding that the EU “stands in full solidarity with Estonia” and would “continue to support our member states in strengthening their defences with European resources.”
The MiG-31 jets had no flight plans, their transponders were switched off, and they lacked two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control during the violation, Estonian officials confirmed.
Estonia immediately summoned the Russian deputy ambassador and delivered a diplomatic protest note regarding the airspace breach.
“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure,” Mr Tsahkna said.
The Estonian violation follows a series of Russian incursions into NATO airspace that have rattled the alliance’s eastern members and raised fears of potential escalation.
On 10 September, Poland shot down multiple Russian drones that violated its airspace in what Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an “unprecedented” attack involving at least 19 violations over seven hours.
The incident, which damaged residential buildings in two Polish villages, prompted Warsaw to invoke NATO’s Article 4, allowing for consultations when a member state feels its security is threatened.
Four drones were confirmed shot down by Polish and Dutch forces, with German Patriot systems also activated. The incursion forced temporary closures of several Polish airports including Warsaw International.
Romania also reported a Russian drone breach on 14 September during attacks on neighbouring Ukraine, marking the eleventh such incident since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Romanian Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu condemned Russia’s “reckless behaviour, which threatens regional stability,” after the drone flew approximately 10 kilometres into Romanian territory and operated in NATO airspace for around 50 minutes.
The UK had previously summoned the Russian ambassador in London in response to what it called “utterly unacceptable” violations of Polish and Romanian airspace.
Estonia is reportedly considering requesting Article 4 consultations with NATO allies following Friday’s incident, sources told Fox News Digital.
The Baltic nation revealed that in May, Russia had also 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.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said after the Polish incident that such violations were “not isolated incidents” and represented Russia’s “reckless behaviour” that required a strong response.
Multiple NATO members have responded to support their eastern allies. The Netherlands deployed Patriot and NASAMS air defence systems along with 300 soldiers to Poland, whilst France sent three Rafale fighters and Sweden provided additional Gripen jets.
The UK is considering redeploying up to six Typhoon fighters to Poland as part of enhanced air policing missions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia “always tests the limits of what is possible” and called for stronger collective defence measures.
“The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air. Their routes are always calculated. This cannot be a coincidence, a mistake, or the initiative of some lower-level commanders,” Mr Zelensky said.
The repeated violations have prompted calls for tougher action against Moscow. Ms Kallas described the Polish drone incident as a “game changer” that should push the EU to implement stronger sanctions in its next round of measures against Russia.
“What he wants to do is to test us – really how far he can go. And every time he’s bolder, because he’s able to be bolder because our response hasn’t been strong enough,” Ms Kallas told journalists in Brussels.
Belarus, Russia’s ally, claimed some drones had gone off course due to electronic warfare jamming but said it had warned Poland and Lithuania about incoming aircraft.
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency session on 12 September to discuss the Polish airspace violations, with Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo noting the incidents highlighted growing concerns about drone warfare and potential spillover of the Ukraine conflict.
Military analysts warn that NATO states remain unprepared for the type of hybrid warfare Russia is conducting, with relatively inexpensive drones increasingly used to probe alliance defences and test political resolve.
Estonia, which joined NATO in 2004, sits on the alliance’s northeastern frontier, sharing a border with Russia and positioned across the Gulf of Finland from St Petersburg.
The pattern of escalating airspace violations suggests Moscow is deliberately testing NATO’s response capabilities and political unity, officials believe, at a time when alliance members are debating increased military support for Ukraine.
Russia’s Defence Ministry has denied intentional violations, claiming any incursions were accidental. However, European leaders dismiss these explanations, with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stating the drone paths were “quite obviously deliberately directed.”
As tensions continue to escalate along NATO’s eastern borders, alliance members face growing pressure to demonstrate unified resolve against what many see as calculated Russian provocations designed to test Western determination.
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Image Credit:
RAF Typhoons intercept Russian MiG-31 aircraft over Baltic airspace (24 July 2015) — photo by MOD / Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 (UK).
