Overview

• Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered its airspace over the Gulf of Finland for about 12 minutes on Sept. 19.
• Italy’s F-35s deployed for NATO air policing were scrambled, and Sweden and Finland also launched aircraft to respond.
• Estonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires and lodged a protest, with its foreign minister calling the episode an unprecedentedly brazen violation.
• NATO will convene consultations early next week under Article 4 at Estonia’s request, according to Reuters reporting cited by Japanese outlets.
• Officials frame the incident as part of recent incursions that included Russian drones over Poland and Romania, and President Trump said the situation could become “a big problem.”