Mig-31. File photo

 

In a dramatic confrontation over the Gulf of Finland, Nato forces intercepted three Russian MiG-31 jets that violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes. Estonia swiftly condemned the incident as “brazen,” with Nato responding immediately to intercept the aircraft. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced plans to invoke Article 4 for urgent Nato consultations, marking a significant escalation in tensions with Russia.

 

Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, incidents like this have heightened tension between Russia and Nato countries. The recent airspace breach follows similar incidents involving Russian drones over Poland and Romania, both Nato members. Estonia’s foreign ministry summoned Russia’s chargé d'affaires, protesting the incursion, while EU diplomat Kaja Kallas called it an “extremely dangerous provocation.”

 

Nato spokeswoman Allison Hart referred to the incident as an example of "reckless Russian behaviour" and underscored NATO's capacity to respond, with Estonia's air defence being bolstered by NATO support deployed Italian F-35 jets escorted the Russian planes out. The jets, lacking sufficient fuel, were unable to continue the mission. Lacking flight plans and transponder signals, posed a heightened threat.

 

Looking forward, the invocation of Nato’s Article 4 indicates a looming period of intense diplomatic activity. Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur emphasised the need for increased focus on Nato's eastern flank. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed that any escalation would meet with "determination" from the EU.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Nato forces intercepted three Russian jets violating Estonian airspace.
• Estonia seeks urgent Nato consultations under Article 4.
• Tensions between Nato and Russia continue to rise, following similar incursions.

 

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Read more World News Stories here

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-09-20

 

 

Seems Putin is pushing ehh?im hoping something happens so nato can wreck the looters kirch bridge and run those orks out of Crimea then enforce a no fly zone.unfortunately for nato im sure trump will just taco and betray NATO.

Always two sides to these types of incidences. Russia (of course) claiming it was international airspace. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't.

It's called salami slicing. The Chinese use it extensively. And the Chinese are a strategic partner of Russia. Get NATO involved then invade Taiwan.

13 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Always two sides to these types of incidences. Russia (of course) claiming it was international airspace. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't.

 

One could assume the Russians violated Estonia's ADIZ, not legally recognized but claimed unilaterally.  This would extend over the entire Gulf of Finland and the mainland.

 

An air defense identification zone (ADIZ) is a region of airspace in which a country tries to identify, locate, and control aircraft in the interest of national security.^[1] It is declared unilaterally^[2] and may extend beyond a country's territory to give the country more time to respond to possibly hostile aircraft.^[3] The concept of an ADIZ is not defined in any international treaty and is not recognized by any international body.  (Wiki)

 

Similar to Russian or Chinese planes breaching the Alaska ADIZ which extends all the way to the Russian mainland, or the PLA Air Force incursions into the Taiwan Province ADIZ which covers the entire Taiwan Province Strait and parts of three provinces on the Chinese mainland.

 

In other words, Russia was flying in international airspace, Estonia sent up jets to investigate, and followed the Russians got bored and left.  It's a normal, everyday occurrence, nothing of real significance, but can be touted in official press releases for propaganda purposes.

 

Had the Russians actually entered Estonian airspace, you can be shirley there'd be GPS/radar traces and detailed maps showing an actual incursion.

 

This, a nothingburger be.

 

 

 

 

Fighter aircraft assigned to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission are often launched to visually identify Russian Federation Air Force aircraft. A high proportion of Russian Federation Air Force flight activity is due to the geographical situation of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad; Russian Federation Air Force aircraft regularly fly from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad and vice versa. They often approach or fly near NATO airspace without using transponders, communicating with Air Traffic Control or having filed a flight plan.

 

https://ac.nato.int/missions/air-policing/baltics

51 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

One could assume the Russians violated Estonia's ADIZ, not legally recognized but claimed unilaterally.  This would extend over the entire Gulf of Finland and the mainland.

 

An air defense identification zone (ADIZ) is a region of airspace in which a country tries to identify, locate, and control aircraft in the interest of national security.^[1] It is declared unilaterally^[2] and may extend beyond a country's territory to give the country more time to respond to possibly hostile aircraft.^[3] The concept of an ADIZ is not defined in any international treaty and is not recognized by any international body.  (Wiki)

 

Similar to Russian or Chinese planes breaching the Alaska ADIZ which extends all the way to the Russian mainland, or the PLA Air Force incursions into the Taiwan Province ADIZ which covers the entire Taiwan Province Strait and parts of three provinces on the Chinese mainland.

 

In other words, Russia was flying in international airspace, Estonia sent up jets to investigate, and followed the Russians got bored and left.  It's a normal, everyday occurrence, nothing of real significance, but can be touted in official press releases for propaganda purposes.

 

Had the Russians actually entered Estonian airspace, you can be shirley there'd be GPS/radar traces and detailed maps showing an actual incursion.

 

This, a nothingburger be.

 

 

 

 

I beg to differ they violated the boundaries for 12 minutes in my view putin is pushing and putting trump in his place incase trump feels frisky after the suck up fest in England.

The bad guys claim:

 

In a brief statement on Saturday, the ministry said three MiG-31s were conducting a routine flight from Karelia, east of Finland, to an airfield in the Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave bordering Poland and Lithuania.

 

The jets flew over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, more than 3 kilometers from Estonia’s Vaindloo island, “without violating Estonian airspace,” the MOD said.

 

 

I'ma go with Russian jets in international airspace, which included Estonia/NATO's ADIZ, until relevant maps are provided.

 

I won't hold my breath.  

 

Expect the claims of Russians breaching Estonian airspace to be used extensively as evidence of "Russian aggression" in the tabloids.

9 minutes ago, Tug said:

I beg to differ they violated the boundaries for 12 minutes in my view putin is pushing and putting trump in his place incase trump feels frisky after the suck up fest in England.

 

Which boundaries, exactly? 

 

Sovereign territory or imaginary ADIZ?

 

Strange there were no maps/diagrams provided..........

 

 

 

NOTE:  That there downvote wasn't me.

10 minutes ago, Tug said:

I beg to differ they violated the boundaries for 12 minutes in my view putin is pushing and putting trump in his place incase trump feels frisky after the suck up fest in England.

Your comment is taken from a BBC article. Sorry but it's the BBC which is no longer an unbiased news outlet.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Nato forces intercepted three Russian MiG-31 jets that violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes.

 

You can drive across Estonia’s entire width in just 3.5 hours (350 km/217 mi), traveling from the Baltic Sea to Russia

 

The cruising speed of the MiG-31 is approximately 2,200 kilometers per hour (about 1,367 miles per hour) at high altitudes.

 

The Mikoyan MiG-31 has a top speed of 1,900 miles per hour, and the F-35 Lightning II has a top speed of 1,200 miles per hour. Head to head, this makes the Mikoyan MiG-31 700 miles per hour faster than the F-35 Lightning II.

 

Oh, my.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Estonia's air defence being bolstered by NATO support deployed Italian F-35 jets escorted the Russian planes out. The jets, lacking sufficient fuel, were unable to continue the mission.

 

Strange.

 

Estonian jets don't carry enough fuel to fly over.........Estonia?

53 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

The bad guys claim:

 

In a brief statement on Saturday, the ministry said three MiG-31s were conducting a routine flight from Karelia, east of Finland, to an airfield in the Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave bordering Poland and Lithuania.

 

The jets flew over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, more than 3 kilometers from Estonia’s Vaindloo island, “without violating Estonian airspace,” the MOD said.

 

 

I'ma go with Russian jets in international airspace, which included Estonia/NATO's ADIZ, until relevant maps are provided.

 

I won't hold my breath.  

 

Expect the claims of Russians breaching Estonian airspace to be used extensively as evidence of "Russian aggression" in the tabloids.

Yes, too true and Zelenskey will be agitating for action as per, in his neverending quest to push NATO towards conflict. After the alleged Polish drone incursion, it was admitted rather reluctantly that the damage to a house was caused by a defensive missile, and even the top NATO general cautioned that there was no evidence that it was deliberate. Of course, there was no ambiguity or caution from Zelenskey who said "it was a definite expansion of the war" , or the unhinged Kallas who always jumps on these opportunites.

Drones in Poland and Romania war games and joint exercises in Belarus Mig 31s in Estonia.

 

Too many coincidences there is no doubt in my mind Putin is pushing seeing how far he can go testing NATO's resolve and responce times.

 

The biggest problem we have in Europe is Trump Putin knows he will back off.

 

As long as Russia remains a threat there needs to be a European version of NATO without the US and a separate alliance with the US.

 

If the biggest member of NATO and the only one to have invoked and benefitted from article 5 cannot be relied on perhaps NATO has run its course.

 

Before Trump that would have been unthinkable.

 

The old saying if you want peace prepare for war is as true today as ever.

 

 

8 hours ago, Bannoi said:

Drones in Poland and Romania war games and joint exercises in Belarus Mig 31s in Estonia.

 

Too many coincidences there is no doubt in my mind Putin is pushing seeing how far he can go testing NATO's resolve and responce times.

 

The biggest problem we have in Europe is Trump Putin knows he will back off.

 

As long as Russia remains a threat there needs to be a European version of NATO without the US and a separate alliance with the US.

 

If the biggest member of NATO and the only one to have invoked and benefitted from article 5 cannot be relied on perhaps NATO has run its course.

 

Before Trump that would have been unthinkable.

 

The old saying if you want peace prepare for war is as true today as ever.

 

 

We will be back once we excise the cancer from our body politic.I think even now a dullard like trump even through the fog of his advancing dementia and malignant narcissism has to realize he’s being played the fool.(perhaps stool would be more appropriate)

On 9/20/2025 at 7:08 AM, emptypockets said:

It's called salami slicing. The Chinese use it extensively. And the Chinese are a strategic partner of Russia. Get NATO involved then invade Taiwan.

 

Apart from the involvement of nuclear weapons, that second front is what the USA has to be most wary of.

On 9/20/2025 at 9:13 AM, NoDisplayName said:

 

You can drive across Estonia’s entire width in just 3.5 hours (350 km/217 mi), traveling from the Baltic Sea to Russia

 

The cruising speed of the MiG-31 is approximately 2,200 kilometers per hour (about 1,367 miles per hour) at high altitudes.

 

The Mikoyan MiG-31 has a top speed of 1,900 miles per hour, and the F-35 Lightning II has a top speed of 1,200 miles per hour. Head to head, this makes the Mikoyan MiG-31 700 miles per hour faster than the F-35 Lightning II.

 

Oh, my.

 

 

Strange.

 

Estonian jets don't carry enough fuel to fly over.........Estonia?

 

Oh, my.

 

The MiG-31 is 700 miles per hour faster than the F-35.

 

The problem for the MiG-31 is that it won't see the F-35 until it's been locked on.

 

Oh my.