Estonia has accused Russia of a flagrant breach of its sovereignty after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets crossed into its airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, lingering for 12 minutes before departing.
The alleged incursion, confirmed by Estonia’s Ministry of Defence, comes amid heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank. Just last week, Poland complained that nearly 20 Russian drones had flown over its territory—an allegation Moscow denied, insisting Poland was not targeted.
While Russia has frequently tested NATO’s air defences during its ongoing war in Ukraine, Tallinn says such actions have grown “increasingly provocative” in recent months.
“Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which is unacceptable in itself. But today’s incursion is unprecedentedly brazen,” Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna declared.
He warned that Moscow’s pattern of aggression must not go unanswered: “Russia’s increasingly reckless testing of boundaries and growing hostility must be met with a firm and immediate response—through both political and economic pressure.”
The incident underscores the fragile security climate across the Baltics, where NATO allies remain on high alert against potential Russian escalations.
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