A Russian warplane has ‘breached the air space of Estonia’ where hundreds of British troops are based.
In a move seemingly designed to test NATO defences, the alleged aerial incursion saw a Su-27 fighter soar the Gulf of Finland.
The warplane did not post a flight plan and its transponder was switched off as it violated the Estonian frontier, officials in Tallinn claimed.
They described the incursion as “a very unfortunate and serious incident”.
“The jet remained in Estonian airspace for less than a minute," a spokesperson for the NATO member state said.
"It was flying with the transponder in the off mode and remained out of contact with Estonian air traffic control at the time of violating the Estonian state border."
The intervention comes as Russia continues to amass troops and tanks close to the Ukrainian border, while Moscow’s pro-Kremlin media mocks Boris Johnson over Partygate.
One TV channel branded the under-fire PM “the most disliked, disrespected and ridiculed character in Britain” who was “completely under the control and heel of his young wife” Carrie.
State-run Rossiya 1 channel claimed Johnson’s “anti-Russian hysteria” was “a way to divert attention from domestic problems” as he sought to “stifle” the scandal over lockdown-breaking parties.
The sharp criticism was aimed at the Tory leader ahead of his trip to Ukraine today.
The prime minister will hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in a public show of support that comes as the UK announces £88m of new funding for Ukraine to support stability there.
Unlike Estonia, which handed a protest note to the Russian chargé d'affaires over the Su-27 incident on Saturday, Ukraine is not a NATO member, but enjoys the support of most western European nations.
Moscow - which has a track record of testing Estonia border defences - has denied the air incident happened, much as Kremlin officials have downplayed the prospect of war with Ukraine.
"No flights by Russian Su-27 fighter jets were carried out above the Baltic Sea on January 29," the Moscow defence ministry said in a statement.
"The Russian Aerospace Forces perform all their flights in strict compliance with the international rules of airspace use, above neutral waters, without violating other states’ borders."
Britain has around 900 soldiers in Estonia, a number expected to double over the coming weeks.
The small Baltic state is seen as vulnerable to a Russian invasion in the event of a new war in eastern Europe.
Johnson has been keen to divert attention away from his domestic problems towards the situation in eastern Europe over the past week.
The ailing PM had to put the latter issue on hold to answer questions in the House of Commons about the Sue Gray report, leading Johnson to miss a scheduled call with Vladimir Putin.
Russian channels appear to be revelling in the Conservative leader's troubles.
In a report from London, Gazprom Media-owned NTV channel said: “If it were in the power of Boris Johnson, (Sue Gray’s report) would have disappeared into the bowels of the Victorian sewers of the city of London.
“But this did not happen.”
The station went on to note that the report was delivered to the prime minister at Number 10 - “the very residence where the parties took place...
“The parties because of which Boris Johnson is today the most disliked, disrespected and ridiculed character in Britain.
“Even schoolchildren are laughing at him.
“( Dominic Cummings ) says Johnson is completely under the control and heel of his young wife, but at the same time has the ambitions of a Roman emperor."
The channel’s London correspondent Liza Gerson said: “In order to preserve himself, to preserve his political career, Boris Johnson is trying to present himself as a kind of saviour of the whole country.
“Not just the country but the whole world.
“He is trying to talk about more global issues, but he is being asked extremely shameful and petty questions.”
Viewers were told it was a “dark day” for Johnson.
