Russian Fighter Jets Enter Estonian Airspace, NATO Holds Emergency Consultation

International Desk | PNN

Tensions have risen after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace. The Estonian government reported that on Friday, September 19, the Russian planes stayed for 12 minutes in the Gulf of Finland air corridor without permission.

Immediately following the incident, Italy, Finland, and Sweden scrambled their fighter jets as part of NATO’s Eastern European defense mission. A NATO spokesperson said, “This is another example of Russia’s reckless behavior and demonstrates NATO’s ability to respond quickly.”

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stated, “NATO’s response must be united and strong. We consider it essential to consult with our allies to form a joint understanding of the situation and determine the next steps.”

She also noted that this is Russia’s fifth airspace violation this year. The Russian jets had no flight plans, their transponders were turned off, and they did not communicate with Estonian air traffic control.

Moscow, however, denied the allegations. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the planes were on scheduled training flights and flew in accordance with international airspace rules. They added that the jets remained at least three kilometers away from Estonia’s Väinödlü Island over neutral Baltic Sea airspace.

Estonia has called for emergency consultations with allies under Article 4 of the NATO treaty. Earlier this month, Poland also invoked the same article when a Russian drone entered its airspace.

Reacting to the incident, U.S. President Donald Trump stated, “I am not happy about this at all. Such incidents could lead to bigger problems.”

Recently, Poland and Romania have also reported Russian drone intrusions. In response, NATO has announced additional deployment of troops and fighter jets in Eastern Europe. Fighter jets from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Denmark are now regularly participating in patrols.