Estonia hands note to Russia over airspace violation

A Russian Su-35 fighter jet. Photo: Mikhail Degtyarev / AP / Scanpix

The Estonian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires in Estonia on Wednesday to express a protest and deliver a diplomatic note regarding a violation of Estonian airspace that occurred on Tuesday.

On Tuesday evening, a Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet entered Estonian airspace without permission in the area of the Juminda Peninsula on Estonia's North Coast and remained in Estonian airspace for less than a minute.

The fighter jet had no flight plan, its transponder was switched off, and at the time of the violation, there was no bilateral radio communication with Estonian air traffic services.

The incident prompted a response from Portuguese Air Force F-16 fighter jets, currently stationed at Ämari Air Base as part of NATO's Baltic air policing mission, which conducted an identification flight.

This was the first violation of Estonian airspace by Russian aircraft this year.

"From Estonia's point of view, this is a very serious and regrettable incident, which is in no way acceptable," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.