Estonia lodged a formal complaint by summoning a Russian diplomat after three Russian fighter jets breached its airspace without authorization and remained there for 12 minutes on Friday, the Estonian Foreign Ministry confirmed. This incident occurred shortly after NATO forces intercepted Russian drones over Poland, sparking concerns of potential spillover from the conflict in Ukraine.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, expressed outrage over Russia’s repeated violations of their airspace this year, labeling the recent breach involving three fighter jets as exceptionally audacious. In response, Estonia has initiated NATO Article 4 consultations to address the incursion, seeking support from the alliance members in protecting its territorial integrity and security.
The Russian government has yet to provide a statement regarding the airspace violation, which marked a significant intrusion into a NATO member state since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Several other NATO countries have reported similar airspace breaches and drone incidents on their territories, escalating tensions in the region.
Italian fighter jets were promptly dispatched in response to the breach by Russian MiG-31 aircraft over Vaindloo Island in the Baltic Sea, an area under Estonian jurisdiction. The Russian jets entered without flight plans, with transponders off, and lacking communication with Estonian air traffic control. The Estonian military confirmed that the Italian Air Force F-35 jets, part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission, intercepted the Russian aircraft.
Foreign policy officials, including the EU’s Kaja Kallas, condemned the airspace violation as a dangerous provocation heightening regional tensions. Estonia, alongside Baltic neighbors Lithuania and Latvia, is viewed as a potential target for Russian aggression within NATO. The Estonian government emphasized the need for increased political and economic pressure on Russia to deter further provocations.
In response to Russia’s continued aggression, the European Union announced plans to hasten the phase-out of Russian LNG imports as part of a broader sanctions package. This move aligns with efforts to curb Russia’s war economy by cutting off revenue streams from fossil fuel sales. The proposed sanctions also target Russia’s shadow tanker fleet and cryptocurrency transactions, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s procurement of military-related goods.
Despite potential energy supply challenges for EU nations, the proposal seeks to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources and aligns with efforts to support Ukraine and counter Russian aggression. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed concerns that expediting the phasing out of Russian energy supplies would impact Russia’s stance or operations significantly.