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At least three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission in the area of Vaindloo Island amid rising tensions in Europe.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission. (Representative Image/Reuters)
Estonia has requested an urgent consultation with other NATO members after Russian warplanes violated its airspace on Friday, days after drone incursions were reported by Poland and Romania, as tensions in Europe escalate amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
At least three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission in the area of Vaindloo Island, around 100 kilometres (124 miles) from the capital Tallinn and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes, according to several reports.
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Italy, Finland and Sweden scrambled military jets attached to NATO’s air defence support mission to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off. “This is yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO’s ability to respond,” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said in a statement.
However, Russia has denied violating Estonian airspace. However, Estonia, which shares a border with Russia to the east, says this was the fifth Russian violation of its airspace this year, according to BBC.
What Does Estonia’s Call Mean?
Estonia invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty to formally begin urgent consultations within the 32-member alliance, bringing the United States and European countries together for collective defence.
The military alliance told AFP in Brussels that the talks could take place “at the start of next week”. This was the second time within a month that a NATO member has called for Article 4 consultations, after Poland did so on September 10 after Russian drone incursions.
“NATO’s response to any provocation must be united and strong. We consider it essential to consult with our allies to ensure shared situational awareness and to agree on our next joint steps,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal. The government said that its has summoned the top Russian diplomat in the country to lodge a protest and deliver a note.
Earlier, Estonia’s former PM and current EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called the violation an “extremely dangerous provocation” and said it further escalated tensions in the region. “Putin is testing the West’s resolve. We must not show weakness,” she said.
The Russian airspace violation has prompted strong reactions from other European countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed support for Estonia, stating, “Europe stands with Estonia in the face of Russia’s latest violation of our airspace.”
Russia Denies Breaching Airspace
Estonian officials told BBC that Russian aircraft entered its airspace from the north-east and were intercepted by Finnish jets over the Gulf of Finland. The Russian jets had no flight plans had their transponders turned off and also did not have two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control.
However, the Russian defence ministry said the jets were on a “scheduled flight… in strict compliance with international airspace regulations and did not violate the borders of other states, as confirmed by objective monitoring.” It further said that the aircraft flew over neutral Baltic waters, over 3 km from Estonia’s Vaindloo Island.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed displeasure over the incident, saying, “I don’t love it. I don’t like when that happens. Could be big trouble.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country is at war with Russia, accused Russia of deliberately expanding its “destabilising activity” with the series of airspace violations in Poland, Romania and Estonia.
The alleged Russian incursion came with tensions high on NATO’s eastern border, after Poland complained last week that around 20 Russian drones overflew its territory, with three being shot down. Prior to that, Romania announced that one of its fighter jets detected a drone entering the country’s airspace during Russian strikes on Ukraine.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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September 20, 2025, 17:13 IST
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