Estonia says Russian jets breach airspace in 'brazen' incursion

Three Russian military jets on Friday violated NATO member Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes in an "unprecedentedly brazen" incursion, its government said, amid rising tensions on the alliance's eastern flank.

The incident comes just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10, prompting NATO jets to down some of them and Western officials to say Russia was testing the alliance's readiness and resolve.

It also comes three days after Russian and Belarusian military forces ended joint military exercises, called Zapad 2025.

Tallinn said on Friday 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 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, but its jets routinely fly over the Baltic Sea between mainland Russia and its exclave of Kaliningrad, where Russia's Baltic Fleet is based.

Reuters