Estonia requests NATO consultation following Russian airspace violation
Estonia has called for a consultation with fellow NATO members after Russian military aircraft breached its airspace on Friday.
Estonia's foreign ministry condemned the incursion as "brazen", News.Az reports, citing BBC.
It said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the Estonian skies "without permission and remained there for a total of 12 minutes" over the Gulf of Finland.
A NATO spokesperson said the military alliance "responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft", calling it "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO's ability to respond".
Italy, Finland and Sweden scrambled jets under NATO's mission to bolster its eastern flank. Later Russia denied violating Estonian airspace.
Russia's defence ministry said the jets were on a "scheduled flight... in strict compliance with international airspace regulations and did not violate the borders of other states, as confirmed by objective monitoring".
It said they flew over neutral Baltic waters, more than 3km (two miles) from Vaindloo Island, which belongs to Estonia.
Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said the move was a "clear provocation" and called on Nato members to show unity in their response.
"Twelve minutes violation - heavy violation - of NATO airspace needs a solid response on a political level as well as on a practical level," he said.
Similar news
