Russia's Defence Ministry denied its aircraft violated Estonia’s airspace, after Tallinn reported three fighter jets crossed into its territory yesterday without permission and remained there for 12 minutes.
The incident, described by Estonia’s top diplomat as an "unprecedentedly brazen" incursion, happened just over a week after NATO planes downed Russian drones over Poland, heightening fears that Moscow’s war on Ukraine could spill over.
In an online statement published early this morning, Moscow stressed its fighter jets had kept to neutral Baltic Sea waters more than three kilometres from Estonia’s Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland.
"On 19 September, three MiG-31 fighter jets completed a scheduled flight from Karelia to an airfield in the Kaliningrad region," it said, referencing the Russian enclave sandwiched between Polish and Lithuanian territory.
"The flight was conducted in strict compliance with international airspace regulations and did not violate the borders of other states, as confirmed through objective monitoring," the statement said without providing details about the monitoring operation.
Yesterday, Estonian officials said Tallinn had summoned a Russian diplomat to protest, and also moved "to start consultations among the allies" under NATO’s Article 4, which states that parties would confer whenever the territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.
Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defence support mission in the Baltic states scrambled to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off, Estonian and Italian officials said, with alliance chief Mark Rutte praising the "quick and decisive response".
Sweden and Finland also scrambled rapid reaction aircraft, a spokesman for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) told reporters.
The alleged Russian incursion came with tensions high on NATO's eastern border, after Warsaw last week complained that around 20 Russian drones overflew its territory - though the Kremlin denied targeting Poland.
"Three Russian fighter MiG-31 entered Estonian airspace in the Vaindloo Island area without permission, and remained there for approximately 12 minutes," the Estonian defence forces said.
"The fighter jets did not have flight plans, and their transponders were switched off. At the time of the airspace violation, the fighter jets did not have two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control."
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called the event "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO's ability to respond".
'No accident'
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal's announcement "to request NATO Article 4 consultations" over the "unacceptable" violation is the second time in under two weeks that a member country has invoked the clause.
Article 4 states that a NATO member can convene urgent talks when it feels its "territorial integrity, political independence or security" are at risk.
Warsaw invoked Article 4 after it shot down what it said were Russian drones on 9 September.
Romania complained of a similar incursion days later.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - whose country is at war with Russia - on Friday accused Russia of deliberately expanding its "destabilising activity" with the series of airspace violations in Poland, Romania and Estonia.
"As threats escalate, so too will our pressure," added European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who earlier in the day had presented for EU member state approval a 19th package of sanctions targeting Moscow over the Ukraine war.
Italy assumed command of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission - Operation Baltic Eagle III - on 1 August, with the Italian air force's F-35 aircraft taking responsibility for surveillance of Baltic airspace.
Russia has often tested Western air defences as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on, but Estonia complained that the sorties have become more provocative in recent months.
"Russia has already violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today's incursion... is unprecedentedly brazen," Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
Readiness tested
"Russia's increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure," he said.
Mr Tsahkna said Russia's charge d'affaires in Estonia had been summoned to the foreign ministry to receive a formal complaint.
Earlier this month, Estonia complained that a Russian MI-8 helicopter had violated its airspace, also near the island of Vaindloo.
According to the Estonian defence forces, the helicopter entered the country's airspace for about four minutes without making contact with air traffic control.
It also did not have a flight plan, its transponder was turned off and it did not communicate with Estonian air traffic control.
Similar incidents occurred on 13 and 22 June.
Last week, Poland and its Italian and Dutch NATO allies scrambled jets to intercept what it said was around 20 Russian drones prowling its airspace. Some of them were shot down.
The UK, Germany and France announced plans to reinforce joint air patrols with more jets based on NATO's eastern flank.
Additional reporting: PA
