VLADIMIR Putin’s warplanes ignored NATO stealth jets as they stormed into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes in a brazen stunt that’s set Europe on edge.
Russian MiG-31 fighters between 9.58am and 10.10am on Friday, brushing off warnings from Italian F-35s scrambled out of Estonia’s Amari Air Base.
One of the Russian mig-31 fighter jets that flew into Estonian airspace
Russia denies the violation, but Estonia’s defence ministry cites radar and visual evidence
A Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea
Colonel Ants Kiviselg, commander of Estonia’s Military Intelligence Centre, said: “Russia acknowledged communication from Italian pilots flying F-35 fighter jets, but they apparently ignored it and didn’t actually follow the signs.
“Why they didn’t do it, that’s a question for the Russian pilots.”
He added the jets “must have known that they are in [Estonian] airspace.”
Tallinn branded the incursion “unprecedentedly brazen” — the fourth this year — and demanded urgent NATO talks under Article 4.
Prime Minister Kristen Michal fumed: “Such a violation is completely unacceptable.
“NATO’s response to any provocation must be united and strong.
“We consider it essential to consult with our allies to ensure shared situational awareness and to agree on our next joint steps.”
Foreign minister Margus Tsahkna slammed it as “a very serious violation of NATO airspace,” adding that the last time Estonia endured such a long breach was in 2003 — just before it joined NATO.
The jets — launched from Petrozavodsk, heading for Kaliningrad — were first tracked by Finnish fighters before Italian pilots tailed them into international skies.
Russia has denied any violation, insisting its planes stuck to neutral Baltic waters.
But Estonia’s defence ministry says radar and visual evidence proves otherwise.
after the incursion.
Asked about the threat to NATO, the US President said: “I don’t love it. I don’t like it when that happens. It could be big trouble.”
The clash comes as that killed at least three people and wounded dozens.
Ukraine said Russia launched 580 drones and 40 missiles, with 552 drones and 31 missiles shot down.
“Every such strike is not a military necessity but a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorise civilians and destroy our infrastructure,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Air raid sirens blared for 11 hours across Ukraine as missiles rained down on Dnipro, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi and Kyiv’s outskirts.
What is Article 4?
ARTICLE 4 is a clause in Nato’s founding treaty which states all allies must come together when the security or territory of one is threatened.
Under this clause, members can bring any issue of concern to the table to be discussed.
Since the Alliance’s creation in 1949, Article 4 has been invoked eight times.
Following Russia’s drone incursion into Polish air space, PM Tusk made a request for Article 4 and said: “Allies are resolved to defend every inch of allied territory.”
Nato chief Mark Rutte said the Security Council met yesterday morning to discuss Poland’s request.
Homes and cars were smashed, and at least 30 people were injured in Dnipropetrovsk.
Ukraine struck back, claiming combined drone attacks on two Russian oil refineries in Novokuibyshevsk and the Samara region.
Zelensky branded the Estonian incursion “outrageous” and insisted it was “not an accident.”
He warned: “It requires a systemic response. Strong action must be taken – both collectively and individually by each nation.”
Poland, rattled by the attacks, scrambled jets as NATO radar systems were put on high alert.
“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” Warsaw’s operational command said.
Czech President Petr Pavel urged a tougher line: “Russia will realise very quickly that they have made a mistake and crossed the acceptable boundaries.
“Unfortunately, this is teetering on the edge of conflict, but giving in to evil is simply not an option.”
The planes reportedly flew over Vaindloo Island and stayed there for nearly 12 minutes
Trump has said the incursion could ’cause big trouble’
Estonian officials stressed there was no need to trigger Article 5 collective defence, but said the root cause of the brazen fly-bys — along with cyber probing — is Moscow’s bid to distract the West from Ukraine.
European leaders lined up to condemn Putin’s gambit. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas branded it an “extremely dangerous provocation” and warned: “We must not show weakness.”
Lithuania’s defence minister Dovile Sakaliene said NATO’s border “is being tested for a reason. We need to mean business.”
Britain’s Yvette Cooper called it a “reckless incursion” and said it was time to crank up economic pressure on Putin.
