Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz says Russia’s provocations will continue and NATO must respond decisively.
Russian Provocations on the Rise
Kosiniak-Kamysz commented on a recent incident involving Russian fighter jets in Estonian airspace, which lasted around 12 minutes and was part of a pattern of increased provocations.
The minister emphasized that NATO should react very firmly and unequivocally to Russia’s provocations, which have become more frequent in recent years.
Details of the Incident
On Friday, September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without flight plans or transponder signals, and did not communicate with air traffic control.
The jets penetrated Estonian airspace to a depth of at least 10 kilometers, prompting a response from Finnish and Italian F-35 fighter jets stationed in Estonia as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission.
International Response
The Russian Defense Ministry denied that its fighter jets had violated Estonian airspace, claiming they were on a planned flight following international regulations.
In response, Estonia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires in Tallinn and delivered a diplomatic note, and the country invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty.
United Nations Security Council Meeting
Estonia requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which will be held on Monday, to address the incident.
The meeting marks the first time Estonia has requested such a gathering in its 34-year history as a UN member.
