NATO intercepts Russian jets over Estonia as Baltic tensions escalate

Russian MiG-31 fighter jets breached Estonian airspace for about 12 minutes in a brazen test of Baltic border defences, prompting a rapid NATO interception and an emergency response from allied air forces. The Estonian military and coalition partners said the jets crossed into Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland and conducted operations before returning to Russian airspace. The aircraft reportedly did not file flight plans and turned off their transponders as they entered Estonian airspace by roughly five miles, according to Estonian officials. International observers characterized the move as a calculated challenge to alliance cohesion and regional stability.

Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna stressed that Russia had entered Estonian airspace four times this year and called the latest breach unprecedentedly brazen. Tallinn summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires and delivered a protest note, with Estonia also requesting NATO Article 4 consultations to discuss collective defence in light of the incident. In a separate provocation, two Russian jets conducted a low-pass over a Polish-owned offshore production facility in the Baltic Sea, violating the facility’s safety zone and triggering alerts from Polish forces. The events followed a broader pattern of deterrence maneuvers in the region that have unsettled several NATO members and partner states.

NATO said the airspace breach was a reckless action and reiterated the alliance’s readiness to respond to provocations on its eastern flank. The episode comes weeks after drone incursions and reconnaissance flights in Poland and other Baltic states, underscoring perceived gaps in deterrence that members have been seeking to address through enhanced patrols and coordination. EU officials voiced their concerns, with the bloc’s foreign policy chief urging solidarity and stronger defence cooperation among member states. In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky described the behavior as outrageous and called for a systemic, coordinated response from allies. British and other Western officials likewise expressed support for Estonia and its regional partners as NATO considers a longer-term posture for deterrence and readiness amid ongoing tensions with Moscow.

The Kremlin has not issued a public comment on the incursions. Russian attitudes toward the Baltic region and broader European security have been shaped by a sequence of border provocations, including drone activity and interceptions that have tested allied responses. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland remain among the most vigilant NATO members in the region, emphasizing the need for credible deterrence and collaborative defence planning. As the alliance weighs next steps, officials have stressed the importance of maintaining unity and readiness in the face of what they describe as ongoing attempts to intimidate and destabilize the region.