Tallinn (Estonia), Sept. 20 – Estonia has firmly rejected Moscow’s denial of the recent airspace violation. According to the Estonian Ministry of Defence, three Russian Mig-31 fighter jets entered the country’s skies on Friday, ignoring warnings from two Italian F-35s on NATO air policing duty over the Baltic. Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stated that the intrusion was confirmed by “multiple” NATO radar systems and visual identification tools, leaving no doubt about the presence of Russian aircraft. Pevkur also suggested that this could be a deliberate Russian tactic to divert Western military resources away from Ukraine by provoking NATO countries to strengthen defences in Estonia.
Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of Estonian military intelligence, explained that it is still unclear whether the violation was intentional, but stressed that the Russian jets “could not have been unaware” of being in Estonian airspace. Although they did not pose an immediate military threat, the Russian pilots ignored communications from the Italian F-35s, thus extending their unauthorised presence. Kiviselg noted that while every detail — from route to communications and onboard weapons systems — was monitored, it was ultimately decided that the aircraft did not need to be shot down. The incident, however, raises serious concerns amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia, increasing vigilance among Baltic allies.