The Russian Defence Ministry said early on Saturday that Russian fighter jets did not breach Estonian airspace and instead flew over neutral Baltic Sea waters while travelling from northwest Russia to the Russian Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
The government of NATO member Estonia said three Russian military jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes in an “unprecedentedly brazen” incursion. The incident occurred just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, some downed by NATO jets.
“The flight was carried out in strict conformity with international rules governing airspace with no violation of the borders of other states, as is confirmed by independent checks,” the Russian Defence Ministry said of the three MiG-31 fighters in a post on Telegram.
“During the flight, the Russian aircraft did not deviate from the agreed flight path and did not violate Estonian airspace.”
The statement said the route taken by the fighters from the northwestern Russian region of Karelia “was over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea at a distance of more than 3 km from the island of Vaindloo,” which lies off the Estonian coast.
Airspace Violation After Zapad Drills
The airspace violation comes three days after Russian and Belarusian military forces ended joint military exercises, called Zapad 2025.
Tallinn said on Friday that the three MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes.
“Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure.”
The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Estonia said it had summoned the top Russian diplomat in the country to lodge a protest and deliver a note.
(With inputs from Reuters)
