Estonia slammed Russia for breaching its airspace on Friday, saying three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets crossed into Estonian territory over the Gulf of Finland for about 12 minutes. It was not, however, the first breach in 2025, though it was the most substantial violation, per the country. As Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna put it, "Russia has already violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today's incursion, involving three fighter aircraft ... is unprecedentedly brazen."
The AP reports the Russian aircraft lacked flight plans and had their transponders off; none were in two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic services. Tsahkna called for a "swift increase in political and economic pressure" in response to what he framed as "Russia's increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness." NBC News characterized it as "the latest test of NATO's defenses by the Kremlin's forces." Following the episode, Estonia lodged a formal protest with Russia's top diplomat in Tallinn.
EU Foreign Policy head Kaja Kallas called the incident "an extremely dangerous provocation" that "further escalates tensions in the region." The AP's take: "Estonia, along with other Baltic states Lithuania and Latvia, are seen as being among the most likely targets if Russia one day decides to risk an attack on NATO. Neighboring Poland, though much larger, also feels vulnerable. All four countries are staunch supporters of Ukraine."
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