NATO intercepts three Russian aircraft over Estonian airspace 

On Friday, the foreign ministry of Estonia and the spokesperson of the alliance announced that NATO intercepted three of the Russian jets that took a path over its airspace.

The Estonian foreign ministry stated that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the Estonian airspace and flew over the Gulf of Finland without authorization and stayed 12 minutes in total.

NATO Allied Command Operations headquarters reported thT Italian F-35s based in Estonia as a part of NATO Eastern Sentry operation, Swedish and Finish planes, reacted to the intrusion.

Estonian PM Krisen Michal said the Russian jets had been forced to escape. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acclaimed the reaction of the alliance as quick and decisive.

Later Russia denied its jets had flown over Estonian airspace, arguing that the flight has been conducted in full compliance with the international rules and had not breached the airspace of other countries.

The Russian ministry of defense reported that the jets were flying over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea on their route between the Republic of Karelia, in northwest Russia, and the airfield at the Kaliningrad region, which is a Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania, and that they were over three kilometres southeast of the northernmost point on the territory of Estonia.

The Estonian prime minister said NATO Article 4 consultations had been requested following the totally unacceptable violation. According to NATO spokesperson Allison Hary the council of North America will meet early next week to discuss the incident in greater detail.

Article 4 of NATO treaty provides that any member state may formally raise an issue before the council, which is the main decision -making body of the alliance, to consult and deliberate on the further action whenever the membership country is threatened in terms of territorial integrity, political integrity or security.

After a number of Russian drones and fighter jets flew over its territory last week, Poland provoked such a consultation.

“Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedently brazen,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

“Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure,” Tsahkna said.

On Wednesday last, the NATO fighter jets shot down several Russian drones that invaded the Polish air space during an attack on a neighbouring country Ukraine. The operation also was the first time that NATO opened fire since the war in Ukraine began.

A Russian drone has intruded into the airspace of Romania on Sunday, causing Bucharest to scramble fighter jets. The two F-16 jets were about to shoot down the drone but pilots chose not to shoot after evaluating the collateral dangers.