Russian military jets ‘violate’ Estonian airspace, officials say
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Russian military jets have violated Estonian airspace, officials have said.
In a statement, the Estonian government said the incident involved three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that flew over the Gulf of Finland for a total of 12 minutes without permission.
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Foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said Russia had already violated Estonian airspace four times this year, “which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen”.
“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure,” he added.
Estonia is the third NATO country to report an incursion of its airspace by Russia in recent weeks: On Sunday, Romania said a drone breached its airspace during a Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
Poland also reported an “unprecedented violation” of its airspace by more than a dozen Russian drones last week. Moscow denied responsibility for the incident.
The UK had previously summoned the Russian ambassador in London in response to the “utterly unacceptable” Romanian and Polish incursions.
In response to the latest incident, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the “violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russian military aircraft is an extremely dangerous provocation”.
She added that the EU “stands in full solidarity with Estonia,” and said: “We will continue to support our member states in strengthening their defences with European resources.
“Putin is testing the West’s resolve. We must not show weakness.”
Estonia’s government also said that in May, Russia had briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea during an attempt to stop a Russian-bound oil tanker thought to be part of a “shadow fleet” defying Western sanctions on Moscow.
It added that the Russian deputy ambassador was summoned and given a protest note.
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The incursion comes after the head of Britain’s foreign intelligence service said there is “absolutely no evidence” that Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine.
MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore told a news conference on Friday that the Russian president was “stringing us along”.
“He seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal. But he cannot succeed,” Sir Moore said.
“Bluntly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he was going to win an easy victory. But he – and many others – underestimated the Ukrainians.”
