Estonia says Russian fighter jets entered airspace in ‘brazen intrusion’

Estonia summons Russian diplomat; NATO scrambled craft to intercept jets, showing confederation quality to respond.

Estonia has said Russia violated its airspace with the incursion of 3 supersonic combatant jets amid heightened fears that Moscow’s warfare with Ukraine could spill implicit into Europe’s eastbound flank.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said connected Friday that 3 MiG-31s entered Estonian airspace “over the Gulf of Finland” successful the northbound for a full of 12 minutes, adding that helium had summoned the complaint d’affaires astatine the Russian embassy implicit the violation.

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“This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion — wide impervious of Russia’s increasing aggression,” said Tsahkna connected X, saying that the enactment should beryllium met with “swift governmental and economical pressure”.

Today @MFAestonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires implicit different usurpation of Estonia’s airspace, erstwhile 3 Russian MiG-31s entered our airspace implicit the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes.

This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion — wide impervious of Russia’s growing…

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) September 19, 2025

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the confederation had scrambled craft to intercept the Russian jets, accusing Moscow of “reckless behaviour”. The incident, she said, had shown NATO’s “ability to respond”.

The Estonian subject issued a connection saying that Italian Air Force combatant jets participating successful the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission stationed astatine Amari Airbase responded to the incident.

The 3 Russian combatant jets had entered nationalist airspace successful the country of Vaindloo Island, located successful the Gulf of Finland, the subject said, claiming that it was the 4th Russian incursion this year.

The Russian jets did not person formation plans, and their transponders were switched off, it said.

There was nary two-way vigor connection with Estonian aerial postulation control.

High alert

Ukraine’s European neighbours person been connected precocious alert since 20 Russian drones entered Poland’s airspace conscionable implicit a week ago. The drones, which were not carrying ammunition, were changeable down by Polish and different NATO aircraft.

On Sunday, Romania’s defence ministry said it detected a Russian drone successful its airspace, scrambling combatant jets arsenic a precaution.

Following Friday’s incursion of combatant jets into Estonia, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s apical diplomat, said that Russia’s 3rd usurpation of EU airspace was “an highly unsafe provocation” that “further escalates tensions successful the region”.

Kallas, who served arsenic Estonian premier curate earlier becoming the EU’s precocious typical for overseas affairs and information argumentation past year, said the bloc stood successful “full solidarity” with Estonia.

European Council President Antonio Costa said connected X that the bloc would sermon its “collective response” to Russia’s actions astatine an informal European Council gathering successful Copenhagen connected October 1.

The European Union stands firmly successful solidarity with 🇪🇪.

Today's usurpation of Estonian airspace by 3 Russian subject craft is different unacceptable provocation.

It underscores yet again the urgent request to reenforce our Eastern flank, deepen European defence cooperation,…

— António Costa (@eucopresident) September 19, 2025