Nato Intercepts Russian Warplanes After ‘Brazen’ Estonian Airspace Violation, Article 4 Consultations Requested
Nato Intercepts Russian Warplanes After ‘Brazen’ Estonian Airspace Violation, Article 4 Consultations Requested
Nato forces swiftly intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets on Friday after they brazenly violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes over the Gulf of Finland. The serious incursion has prompted Estonia to formally request urgent Article 4 consultations with the military alliance, signaling a significant escalation in regional tensions.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed his government’s decision to invoke Article 4, which triggers urgent discussions among Nato’s 32 member states regarding threats to their security. Nato spokesperson Allison Hart condemned the incident as “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and Nato’s ability to respond,” confirming the immediate interception of the aircraft.
The Estonian Foreign Ministry detailed the violation, stating the Russian jets entered a Nato member’s airspace without permission, lacked flight plans, had their transponders turned off, and failed to establish two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control. Italian F-35 jets, operating under Nato’s Baltic Air Policing mission, were deployed to escort the Russian planes out of Estonian airspace.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described Friday’s incursion as “unprecedentedly brazen” and called for a swift increase in political and economic pressure on Russia. This marks the fourth Russian airspace violation in Estonia this year and follows similar incidents last week involving Russian drones breaching Polish and Romanian airspace. Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas labeled the event an “extremely dangerous provocation,” with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledging a determined response and continued investment in a stronger Eastern flank.
Tensions between Nato and Russia have escalated dramatically since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In response to recent incursions, Nato has pledged to reinforce its eastern flank with additional troops and fighter jets, with planes from the UK, France, Germany, and Denmark already participating in air defence missions over Poland. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur emphasized the critical need for Nato to prioritize its eastern flank, describing it as the alliance’s “joint response line.”
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