Estonia says three Russian MiG-31s breached airspace, NATO intercepts

Three Russian MiG31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace on Friday, remaining over the Gulf of Finland near Vaindloo Island for about 12 minutes, Tallinn said, prompting NATO intercepts, formal protests and emergency consultations at both the alliance and the United Nations. Estonia summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires and requested Article 4 consultations of the North Atlantic Council, while the country also asked the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the breach, the foreign ministry said.

Estonian officials said the three aircraft had no flight plans, their transponders were switched off and they were not in two‑way radio contact with Estonian air traffic control. Italian F‑35s deployed to the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission intercepted and escorted the fighters out of Estonian airspace, NATO and Estonian defence officials said. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called the episode "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour" and said the alliance demonstrated its ability to respond.

Russia denied the allegation. Moscow's defence ministry said the jets were on a scheduled flight from the Karelia region to the Kaliningrad exclave and flew over neutral...