Bold and audacious intrusion - Three Russian fighter jets penetrate Estonia's NATO-sanctioned airspace
In a recent development, Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes on September 19, 2025. This incident, which marked the fifth such violation of Estonian airspace in 2025 by Russia, has sparked international concern and condemnation.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart described the incident as "reckless behavior by Russia," while Britain's ambassador to the OSCE, Neil Holland, labelled Russia's actions as "deeply concerning and reckless." The EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, went a step further, labelling the incident "an extremely dangerous provocation by Russia."
The jets, capable of carrying Russia's Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, flew toward Tallinn, Estonia's capital. This move has raised alarm bells, particularly given the ongoing tensions along NATO's eastern flank with Russia. The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has pledged a stronger NATO eastern flank in response to these growing intimidation tactics by Russia.
The Estonian foreign ministry summoned Russia's charge d'affaires to lodge a formal protest. However, the name of the Russian Embassy's chargé d'affaires in Estonia, who was formally protested, is not available in the search results. The latest related protests mentioned were from earlier in September 2025, involving the chargé d'affaires summoned over incidents in early and mid-September, but no specific name is provided.
The incident is not isolated. At least 20 Russian drones breached Polish airspace, with some penetrating 260 kilometres inland. Belarus repeated Russia's claim that the Polish drone incursions were unintentional. This comes amidst the ongoing Zapad military exercises by Russia and Belarus, which have further increased tensions.
In response to these provocative manoeuvres, some have suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is testing Western resolve. Kaja Kallas, for one, believes that this is the case. As the international community watches closely, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.
One RAF source described the 12-minute incursion by Russian MiG-31 jets over Estonia as "hardly an accident," indicating a potential pattern of aggressive behavior by Russia. As NATO continues to face these challenges, it is clear that maintaining peace and stability in the region will require a united and vigilant response.
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