NATO Scrambles Jets After Drones Enter Baltic Airspace

NATO fighter jets were scrambled over Estonia and Latvia early on September 1, 2026, after drones crossed into allied airspace during a large-scale Ukrainian attack on Russian targets and a massive Russian aerial barrage on Ukraine. The incidents marked a significant spillover of the war onto NATO's eastern flank, prompting public alerts across multiple regions and activating the alliance's air policing mission. The crisis began around 2 a.m. local time when Estonian air defenses detected approximately a dozen drones operating near the country's eastern border. According to Estonian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Riivo Valge, one drone flew toward the border city of Narva at about 3 a.m., prompting the activation of ground-based air defense units and the scrambling of Turkish F-16 fighter jets from Ämari Air Base. The aircraft were part of NATO's rotational Baltic air policing mission. Public warnings were issued via the EEALARM system to residents in eight Estonian counties. That drone turned back toward Russia without entering Estonian airspace.