Summary
Nato intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that violated Estonia’s airspace over the Baltic Sea in a 12-minute incursion, with European leaders condemning it as proof of Moscow’s “reckless” behaviour. Tensions have been rising on Nato’s eastern border since Russian drones overflew Polish territory last week. Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said: “Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion … is unprecedentedly brazen.” He added: “Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure.”
Estonia’s defence forces said the MiG-31s were intercepted on Friday morning by Italian F-35 fighter jets based in Ämari in Estonia as part of the transatlantic defence alliance’s air policing mission over the Baltic Sea. The Russian fighters entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo island in the Gulf of Finland, did not have flight plans, had turned their transponders off and were not communicating with air traffic control, the Estonian military said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s actions as “outrageous” as he urged allies to take “strong action” against Moscow. “These are not accidents,” he warned in a social media post, referring to a long list of Russian violations of European airspace of Poland, Romania and Estonia, and alleged interference in electoral processes in Romania and Moldova. “It requires a systemic response,” he said. “Strong action must be taken – both collectively and individually by each nation.”
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, accused Moscow of an “extremely dangerous provocation” and said the latest Russian violation of Nato’s eastern borders “further escalates tensions in the region”.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said Europe “stands with Estonia” and would “respond to every provocation with determination”. “As threats escalate, so will our pressure,” she said, calling on the EU’s 27 member states to swiftly approve the bloc’s 19th package of sanctions against Moscow.
Nato spokesperson Allison Hart said that the North Atlantic Council will convene early next week to discuss the incident in more detail, after Estonia requested Nato open consultations under Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. Article 4 states that members will consult whenever the territory, political independence or security of any is threatened.
EU leaders will discuss their “collective response” to Russia’s violations of European airspace at a meeting in Copenhagen on 1 October, said the European Council president, António Costa. “Today’s violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian military aircraft is another unacceptable provocation,” he wrote on X.
Updated
Major Taavi Karotamm, spokesperson for the Estonian Defense Forces, told The Associated Press the Russian planes flew parallel to the Estonian border from east to west and did not head toward the capital, Tallinn.
Karotamm said the reason for the border violation is unknown, but added that it may have been to “shift the focus of Nato and its members on to defending itself, rather than bolstering Ukrainian defense”.
