Overview

• Estonia says three MiG-31s entered its airspace near Vaindloo over the Gulf of Finland for about 12 minutes with transponders off and no filed flight plans.
• NATO stated it responded immediately to intercept the aircraft, with an alliance official reporting that Italian F-35s were among the jets scrambled.
• Estonia summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires and lodged a formal protest after calling the incident a brazen and unprecedented breach this year.
• Russia’s Defense Ministry denied crossing into Estonian airspace and said the flight remained over neutral Baltic waters en route to Karelia.
• EU and NATO leaders condemned the action as a dangerous provocation, noting recent drone incursions reported by Poland and an episode in Romania that have raised readiness across the region.