Escalating Aerial Tensions in the Baltic Sky, Highlighting Russian Aircraft Presence
In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, NATO partners are taking decisive action to address escalating airspace violations in the east and southeast of the NATO area.
The focus is on the short-term deployment of a Turkish reconnaissance system, known as "Merops", to enhance air surveillance and deter potential threats. Training on this system will be organized with the help of Ukraine, with the aim of taking the first steps as early as next week. Poland and Romania are also to be equipped with and trained on the Turkish air surveillance system "Merops".
The alleged airspace violations have not been confined to NATO borders alone. On Friday, Estonia reported three Russian fighter jets entering its airspace, a claim that Moscow's government has rejected. According to the Russian defense ministry, the flight route passed more than three kilometers north of Estonia's Vaindloo island in neutral waters.
However, Estonia's defense ministry published a map suggesting that the Russians flew about ten kilometers deep into Estonian airspace. This incident has prompted Estonia to request consultations under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which calls for consultations among allies when a NATO country feels threatened from outside.
The consultations will be held next week, with NATO allies set to discuss the alleged airspace violation by Russian fighter jets in Estonia. Meanwhile, Poland has reported another incident involving two Russian fighter jets approaching a Polish drilling platform in the Baltic Sea at low altitude, violating a safety zone above the platform.
In response to the attacks on Ukraine, the ground-based air defense system in Poland has been put on "highest alert". The Polish army also announced that Polish and allied combat aircraft had taken off due to the attacks on Ukraine in the border region.
As the situation continues to evolve, Strack-Zimmermann, the Chair of the Defense Committee in the EU Parliament, has called for the German Armed Forces to be equipped as quickly as possible with everything they need to fulfill their NATO obligations. Meanwhile, Strack-Zimmermann advised allies not to be provoked, stating that Putin is "pulling out all the stops" because his successes in Ukraine are not going as planned.
In addition to these developments, Russia's military described the flight of MiG-31 jets as a transfer of these jets from Russia to the exclave of Kaliningrad. Moscow's use of 40 missiles and cruise missiles and around 580 drones in the attack, according to reports from Kyiv, underscores the intensity of the conflict.
Amidst these tensions, the national armed forces unit led by Poland to train for defense against Russian air attacks on the border region is the newly formed Polish Territorial Defense Forces, and the training is scheduled to begin in late 2025. The Russian fighter jets, while not crossing state borders, did fly over the Petrobaltic drilling platform at an altitude of 150 meters, a move that has raised concerns among NATO allies.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that NATO allies are taking proactive measures to safeguard their airspace and respond to potential threats. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting airspace violations serve as a reminder of the need for vigilance and cooperation among NATO partners in maintaining peace and security in the region.
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