NATO intercepts three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets in Estonian airspace, Moscow says ‘no violation’ | What we know so far

Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, leading strong reactions from the EU and NATO, which called it a “provocative act”.

Moscow, however, denied the violation.

Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defence support mission in the Baltic states were 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, as reported by AFP.

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Estonia quickly requested urgent talks with NATO allies, following a similar move by Poland less than two weeks ago after it reported a wave of Russian drone incursions. NATO confirmed to AFP in Brussels that discussions could occur “at the start of next week.”

The reported Russian airspace violation comes amid heightened tensions along NATO's eastern border, with Poland having raised concerns just last week over around 20 Russian drones flying over its territory, a claim Moscow denied, insisting it had not targeted 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.”

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NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called the event “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO's ability to respond”.

NATO's eastern flank is on high alert following an unprecedented move by the alliance to shoot down Russian drones that entered Polish airspace earlier this month, the first such action since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In response, NATO has strengthened its border defences by deploying additional air defence systems and fighter jets under an operation called Eastern Sentry.

Moscow reacts

In response, Russia's defence ministry said the MiGs were on a "scheduled flight" from Karelia, on the border with Finland, to an airfield in its Kaliningrad exclave, which is surrounded by Lithuania and Poland.

“During the flight, the Russian aircraft did not deviate from the agreed-upon route and did not violate Estonian airspace,” a statement read, adding that the flight was over “neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, more than three kilometres from the island of Vaindloo”.

‘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, AFP reported.

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 September 9. Romania complained of a similar incursion days later.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is embroiled in conflict with Russia, accused Moscow on Friday of deliberately escalating its "destabilizing activity" through a 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.

Russian MiG flights have triggered air alerts in Ukraine due to the jets' capacity to carry Kinzhal ballistic missiles, which can strike targets quickly over long distances.

The recent airspace violation also came just days after Russia wrapped up joint military exercises with Belarus, known as Zapad, the first of their kind since the 2022 invasion.

Italy assumed command of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission -- Operation Baltic Eagle III -- on August 1, with the Italian air force's F-35 aircraft taking responsibility for surveillance of Baltic airspace.

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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," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

"Russia's increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure," he said.

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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, a Russian helicopter violated the country's airspace for about four minutes without contacting air traffic control. The helicopter lacked a flight plan, had its transponder off, and failed to communicate with Estonian authorities. Similar incidents occurred earlier this year on May 13 and June 22.

(With inputs from AFP)