Estonia says Russian fighter jets entered airspace in ‘brazen intrusion’

Estonia summons Russian diplomat; NATO scrambled aircraft to intercept jets, showing alliance ability to respond.

Estonia has said Russia violated its airspace with the incursion of three supersonic fighter jets amid heightened fears that Moscow’s war with Ukraine could spill over into Europe’s eastern flank.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Friday that three MiG-31s entered Estonian airspace “over the Gulf of Finland” in the north for a total of 12 minutes, adding that he had summoned the charge d’affaires at the Russian embassy over the violation.

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“This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion — clear proof of Russia’s growing aggression,” said Tsahkna on X, saying that the action should be met with “swift political and economic pressure”.

Today @MFAestonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires over another violation of Estonia’s airspace, when three Russian MiG-31s entered our airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes.

This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion — clear proof of Russia’s growing…

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) September 19, 2025

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliance had scrambled aircraft to intercept the Russian jets, accusing Moscow of “reckless behaviour”. The incident, she said, had shown NATO’s “ability to respond”.

The Estonian military issued a statement saying that Italian Air Force fighter jets participating in the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission stationed at Amari Airbase responded to the incident.

The three Russian fighter jets had entered national airspace in the area of Vaindloo Island, located in the Gulf of Finland, the military said, claiming that it was the fourth Russian incursion this year.

The Russian jets did not have flight plans, and their transponders were switched off, it said.

There was no two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control.

High alert

Ukraine’s European neighbours have been on high alert since 20 Russian drones entered Poland’s airspace just over a week ago. The drones, which were not carrying ammunition, were shot down by Polish and other NATO aircraft.

On Sunday, Romania’s defence ministry said it detected a Russian drone in its airspace, scrambling fighter jets as a precaution.

Following Friday’s incursion of fighter jets into Estonia, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said that Russia’s third violation of EU airspace was “an extremely dangerous provocation” that “further escalates tensions in the region”.

Kallas, who served as Estonian prime minister before becoming the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy last year, said the bloc stood in “full solidarity” with Estonia.

European Council President Antonio Costa said on X that the bloc would discuss its “collective response” to Russia’s actions at an informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1.

The European Union stands firmly in solidarity with 🇪🇪.

Today's violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian military aircraft is another unacceptable provocation.

It underscores yet again the urgent need to reinforce our Eastern flank, deepen European defence cooperation,…

— António Costa (@eucopresident) September 19, 2025