The Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) released a map showing the flight path of three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that violated Estonia’s airspace on Friday morning.
The map shows the three supersonic MiG-31 interceptors flying parallel to Estonia’s border in an east-west direction, approaching the Tallinn area. The jets entered Estonian airspace near the uninhabited island of Vaindloo and remained there for 12 minutes.
The aircraft did not file flight plans and had their transponders turned off.
Italian F-35 fighter jets, stationed at Amari Air Base in northern Estonia as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, intercepted the Russian aircraft and escorted them out of Estonian airspace toward the Kaliningrad enclave.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced that the government has requested Article 4 consultations with NATO, similar to Poland’s response last week to drone flights.
This marks the fourth Russian airspace violation in Estonia this year and was notable for lasting slightly longer than previous incidents. Since 2014, Russian forces have conducted over 40 incursions into Estonian airspace.
