Anna Hartz
Russian Jets Over Estonia Spark NATO Crisis Talks
Airspace violations are one of the most dangerous ways tensions between countries can rise. They are often quick, risky, and can easily spiral out of control.
For NATO members near Russia, such incidents have become more frequent since the war in Ukraine began. The latest case has drawn sharp warnings from leaders and placed the spotlight on Estonia.
12 Minutes in the Gulf of Finland
The Estonian government said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace on Friday, reports HotNews.
The jets crossed over the Gulf of Finland and stayed for 12 minutes before turning back. Estonia called the violation unacceptable and said NATO forces responded immediately.
Pushed to Leave
Italian F-35 fighter jets based in Estonia under NATO’s Eastern Sentry operation were scrambled. Swedish and Finnish aircraft also joined.
The Russian planes were eventually pushed to leave, Estonian Prime Minister Krisen Michal explained. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised the response, saying it was swift and decisive.
Article 4 of the NATO Treaty
In response to the incident, Estonia has triggered Article 4 of the NATO Treaty. This allows any member country to request consultations when its security or territorial integrity feels threatened.
NATO’s main decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, will meet next week to discuss the event.
Trump Reacts
US President Donald Trump reacted quickly from Washington. Speaking at the Oval Office, he warned that Russia’s actions could cause “big problems.”
He added that he was waiting for more details and expected to be briefed soon.
Polish Reports of Russian Fighter Jets
Estonia is not alone. Only hours after the airspace violation, Polish officials reported that two Russian fighter jets carried out a low-altitude flight over an oil platform in the Baltic Sea.
The platform is operated by Petrobaltic, a Polish company. Authorities said security services are monitoring the situation closely.
Repeated Drone Intrusions on Poland
Poland has also faced repeated drone intrusions. Last week, NATO fighter jets shot down several Russian drones that crossed into Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine.
It was the first time NATO forces opened fire since the war began. Romania reported a similar case on Sunday, when a Russian drone entered its airspace.
Two F-16 jets were sent up but held fire after pilots judged the risks of debris were too high.
These repeated incidents are raising concerns that the war could spill further into NATO territory.
This article is made and published by Anna Hartz, which may have used AI in the preparation
