Three Russian military jets violated NATO military alliance member Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes on Friday in an “unprecedentedly brazen” incursion, its government said, prompting Italian F-35 stealth fighters to respond.
Friday’s incident was the latest in a series of recent military actions by Russia that have rattled NATO and added to concern in Europe that Russia’s war against Ukraine will escalate into a broader armed conflict.
Russia’s Defence Ministry denied its jets violated Estonian airspace, saying they flew over neutral waters.
The latest standoff came just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10.
That prompted NATO jets to down some of them, and Western officials said Russia was testing the alliance’s readiness and resolve.
MILITARY PRESSURE
The airspace breach also occurred three days after Russia and Belarus ended their “Zapad-2025” joint military exercises, which included the rehearsal of the launch of Russian nuclear weapons.
Tallinn said the three MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland without permission and stayed for 12 minutes before they were forced to withdraw.
“Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
Russian jets routinely fly over the Baltic Sea between mainland Russia and its exclave of Kaliningrad.
However, Estonia’s defense forces noted that the fighter jets had no flight plans, their transponders were switched off, and they did not establish radio contact with Estonian air traffic control.
MOSCOW DENIES
In a statement issued early Saturday, the Russian Defence Ministry insisted its aircraft flew only over neutral Baltic waters en route from northwest Russia to Kaliningrad.
“The flight was carried out in strict conformity with international rules governing airspace with no violation of the borders of other states, as confirmed by independent checks,” the ministry claimed on its Telegram channel.
“During the flight, the Russian aircraft did not deviate from the agreed flight path and did not violate Estonian airspace,” Moscow added.
Separately, Poland said Friday two Russian fighter jets violated the safety zone of the Petrobaltic drilling platform in the Baltic Sea, further underscoring tensions in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late Friday he had not yet been briefed on the incursion but expected more information soon.
BIG TROUBLE
“I don’t love it. I don’t like when that happens,” Trump told reporters when asked if he saw the Russian airspace breach as a threat to NATO. “Could be big trouble. I’ll let you know later.”
The response of Trump’s administration is being closely monitored across Europe.
Estonia confirmed that Italian air force F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, stationed at Ämari Airbase as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets. It remains unclear how many aircraft were deployed.
The MiG-31 “Foxhound,” as NATO refers to it, is a high-speed interceptor developed during the Cold War. Capable of carrying an array of air-to-air and, in modified versions, air-to-surface missiles, the two-seater combat aircraft poses a serious threat to allied defenses if deployed aggressively.
ARTICLE FOUR
Estonia summoned a Russian diplomat to protest the latest violation.
Western officials warned that the incident adds to mounting evidence that Moscow is deliberately testing NATO’s response time and political cohesion as the war in Ukraine grinds on.
In a further step, Estonia invoked Article Four of the NATO treaty, allowing any member to call for consultations when it feels its territorial integrity or security is threatened.
Diplomats said the move underscores how seriously Tallinn views the violation and reflects broader anxiety within the alliance that Russia may deliberately provoke incidents to weaken NATO unity.
