Intrusion of Russian Military Fighters Within Estonia's Airspace
In a recent turn of events, Russia has been accused of violating Estonia's airspace near the Baltic Sea island of Vaindloo. This incident, which lasted for 12 minutes, has raised concerns among NATO allies and the European Union.
The Russian intrusion took place on a recent Friday, with three MiG-31 fighter jets entering Estonian airspace without permission, electronic identification, or maintaining radio contact with Estonian air traffic control. This blatant disregard for international norms has been strongly condemned by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who described the violation as "unprecedentedly brazen."
Estonia, like its neighbours Latvia and Lithuania, does not have its own fighter jets. Instead, NATO allies provide air policing for the Baltic states. In response to this latest incident, NATO jets were dispatched to intercept the Russian aircraft.
The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, described the airspace violation as "extremely dangerous provocation." She went on to assert that Russian President Vladimir Putin is testing the resolve of the West and urged not to show weakness. Kallas also expressed her country's full solidarity with the EU.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Last week, a Russian air strike on Ukraine resulted in a large number of drones entering the airspace of Poland and NATO. Some of these drones were shot down by the Polish air force and other NATO allies for the first time.
There have been incidents where Russian drones were allegedly deliberately flown over Poland and Romania as well. Kallas stated that the violation was the third incident of airspace violation within a few days, escalating tensions in the region.
In response to Russia's increasing border crossings and growing aggression, Kallas called for a rapid increase in political and economic pressure. She emphasised the need for the West to stand united in the face of these challenges.
NATO allies take turns securing the Baltic airspace, with the new "Eastern Sentry" operation launched in September 2023 to strengthen air defense at the eastern flank. In 2023, there have been several intercept operations in Estonian airspace, with multiple interceptions particularly increasing after Russia's aggressive airspace violations began mid-September 2023.
However, the specific counts of how often NATO jets have flown in Estonian airspace in 2023 are not detailed. What is clear is that the situation remains tense, and the international community is closely monitoring developments in the region.
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