Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonia’s airspace on Friday, prompting a response from NATO and concern from US President Donald Trump.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonia’s airspace on Friday morning, flying deep into the country’s territory for approximately 12 minutes. The jets did not have flight plans, had their transponders turned off, and did not communicate with air traffic control.
NATO responded quickly to the incident, with Finnish fighter jets initially intercepting the Russian planes, followed by Italian F-35s stationed at the Amari base in Estonia as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. The jets forced the Russian planes to leave Estonian airspace.
US President Donald Trump commented on the incident, expressing concern and stating that it could lead to “big trouble.” He emphasized that he had not yet received the latest information from his agencies. The incident has been described as a “reckless act” by Russia and a demonstration of NATO’s ability to respond.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal described the incident as “at least an act of bad will, if not a planned operation.” Estonian President Alar Karis called it “another provocation,” highlighting the need for air defense to be a priority for the alliance.
President Trump also commented on a separate incident involving Russian drones entering Polish airspace, suggesting that the drones may have been neutralized and lost control before entering Poland.
