Three Russian military aircraft encroached upon Estonia's airspace, as claimed by the country's government.
In a bold move that has raised concerns among Western officials, Russia allegedly tested NATO's readiness and resolve in a recent airspace incident over Estonia.
The incident, which occurred on Friday morning near Vaindloo Island, approximately 100km from Tallinn, involved three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that flew approximately 5 nautical miles (9km) into NATO airspace, according to reports. This airspace violation is described as "unprecedentedly brazen" by Estonia's government.
Estonia's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, swiftly labelled Russia's actions as unacceptable. The country's government also suggested that this incident could be a test by Russia to gauge NATO's response to such challenges, or it could be purely coincidental.
The aircraft involved in the incident did not have flight plans, their transponders were not switched on, and they were not in contact with air traffic control, making it difficult to determine their intentions.
This incident comes just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on September 9-10, and follows the conclusion of the Russian and Belarusian military exercise "Zapad 2025" three days prior. The joint maneuver, which took place from September 12 to 16, 2025, primarily involved Russian and Belarusian armed forces, but also included units from several other countries.
In response to the airspace violation, Estonia summoned the top Russian diplomat in the country to lodge a protest and deliver a note regarding the incident. The country is also considering asking NATO to open consultations under Article 4 of the alliance's treaty.
NATO immediately responded to the airspace violation and intercepted the Russian aircraft. In a significant show of force, Italian F-35s were reported to have pushed the Russian aircraft out of NATO airspace. Remarkably, NATO jets also downed some of the Russian drones in the Polish airspace incident.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has stated that the Estonia airspace violation was not an accident. Jakub M Godzimirski, a research professor in Russian security policy, echoes this sentiment, suggesting that this could be a test by Russia to see how NATO responds to such challenges.
Incursions over Vaindloo Island by Russian aircraft are relatively common, but this incident lasted longer than usual, raising further questions about Russia's intentions. Tallinn, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, previously stated that Moscow had briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea in May.
This incident occurs in the context of the recent Russian drone incursion in Polish airspace, adding to the growing tension between Russia and the Western alliance. As the situation continues to evolve, NATO and its member states will need to carefully consider their response to these provocative actions.
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