Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets breached Estonian airspace on Friday, marking the third such incident this month as Moscow appears to be testing NATO’s eastern defenses.
The aircraft, which are capable of carrying Russia’s Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, entered Estonia via the Gulf of Finland and circled for approximately 12 minutes. In response, NATO scrambled Italian F-35 fighter jets to intercept and repel the intruders.
This latest violation follows a pattern of aggressive Russian activity near NATO borders. Last week, Russian drones entered the airspace of both Poland and Romania—two other NATO frontline states.
A U.S. official speaking to POLITICO said, “The Russians have been flying this exact airspace for decades. It’s difficult to see how this wasn’t intentional.”
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart condemned the incident as “yet another example of reckless Russian behavior,” emphasizing NATO’s preparedness to respond. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it “an extremely dangerous provocation” and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to strengthening member states’ defenses.
Estonia has summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Tallinn. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna noted that this was the fourth airspace violation by Russia in 2025, but described Friday’s incident—three fighter jets entering sovereign airspace—as “unprecedentedly brutal.”
“Russia’s growing pattern of border testing and aggression must be met with increased political and economic pressure,” Tsahkna said.
Earlier this month, Poland reported that over a dozen Russian drones crossed its border, some targeting the critical logistics hub of Rzeszów. Polish forces, supported by NATO allies, shot down several drones. Warsaw responded by invoking NATO’s Article 4, which triggers consultations among member states.
On September 12, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the launch of “Eastern Sentry,” a new mission aimed at reinforcing defenses along NATO’s eastern front in light of continued Russian provocations.
Romania has also experienced repeated airspace violations, including a drone that remained in its skies for nearly 50 minutes in mid-September. Debris from earlier Russian attacks in Ukraine has also landed on Romanian territory multiple times.
Speaking on Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a fresh round of EU sanctions targeting Russian energy and finance sectors. She cited the airspace violations in Poland and Romania as further evidence of Moscow’s escalation.
“Again and again, President Putin has chosen escalation. In return, Europe is increasing its pressure,” von der Leyen said. “Our sanctions are working, and we will continue using them until Russia returns to the negotiating table.”
While NATO has generally exercised restraint in such incidents, the alliance’s response posture remains firm. The last time a NATO member shot down a Russian jet was in 2015, when Turkey downed a Su-24 near its border with Syria. Despite ongoing provocations, NATO has since avoided direct military confrontation with Russian aircraft.