Three Russian Fighter Jets Violate Estonian Airspace, Russia Provokes?

ILUSTRATIVES/Obviously United Aircraft Corporation Press Service/TAGS

JAKARTA - Three Russian military fighter jets violated Estonia's airspace, for 12 minutes in an "very daring" and unprecedented insurface.

The incident comes just a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Poland's airspace on the night of September 9-10, prompting NATO jets to shoot down some of them.

Western officials say Russia is testing the readiness and determination of the NATO alliance.

This airspace breach came three days after Russian and Belarusian forces ended a joint military exercise, called Zapad 2025.

Tallinn said three MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonia's airspace without permission and were there for a total of 12 minutes.

"Russia has violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, in which this itself is unacceptable, but today's violation, where three fighter jets enter our airspace, is very impudent," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakkna. , September 19.

"The ever-increasing testing of Russia's borders and aggressiveness must be met with increasingly strong political and economic pressure," he continued.

Russia's Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Estonia has summoned Russia's top diplomats in the country to protest and submit a note.

Estonian Defense Forces said airspace breaches occurred Friday morning in the Vaindloo Island region, about 100 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital Tallinn.

The planes had no flight plans, the bills were not activated, and did not communicate with air traffic controls.

Although Russian aircraft infiltration on Vaindloo Island is quite common, it usually doesn't last during Friday's incident.

"This could be a trial for Russia to see how NATO responds to this kind of challenge, but it could also be pure coincidence," Jakub M. Godzimirski, a professor of Russian safety policy research at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, told Reuters.

"However, this happened in a certain context, given what happened with the drone strike in Poland a few days ago," he continued.

As a loyal supporter of Ukraine, Estonia once said Moscow had sent fighter jets into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea in a bid to stop oil tankers bound for Russia suspected to be part of a "shadow army" opposing Western sanctions against Moscow.