Estonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires on Monday to protest after a Russian Mi-8 helicopter violated Estonian airspace near the island of Vaindloo, becoming the third such incident this month.
Incident Deails:
Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the Russian chargé d’affaires to the embassy on September 8th to formally protest and deliver an official note regarding the violation of Estonian airspace by a Russian Mi-8 helicopter. The incident occurred on September 7th when the helicopter entered the airspace near Vaindloo Island without permission, remaining outside Estonian borders for approximately four minutes.
Estonia’s Response:
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna characterized the incident as “another grave and disheartening case, especially considering it is the third such violation this month.”
Previous Incidents:
This marks the third such violation in September following an August 28th protest note delivered to Russia’s chargé d’affaires following a nighttime attack on Kyiv in which at least 18 people, including four children, were killed. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described it as “a deliberate attack by Putin on civilian population.”
Estonia’s Stance on Russian Aggression:
Estonia, which opposes Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, announced on August 30th that it would continue to support Kyiv and put pressure on Moscow. The country’s Foreign Ministry also mentioned the 19th package of EU sanctions, which is currently being prepared, and the freezing of Russian assets. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna emphasized that Russia cannot reclaim frozen assets until the damages caused by wartime activities in Ukraine are compensated.
