A Russian SU-30 fighter jet breached NATO airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland, prompting an emergency response on Wednesday. Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, confirmed the incident, stating that the jet entered Estonian airspace for about a minute. In response to the breach, a formal protest was lodged with Russia’s top diplomat in Tallinn, who was summoned to explain the violation.

NATO’s Baltic Air Policing reacted by deploying units from the Italian Air Force stationed at the Ämari Air Base. The Italian Air Force dispatched a military aircraft to monitor the Russian jet, although there was no immediate threat to Estonian security, according to Tsahkna. This marks the first airspace infringement by a Russian warplane in Estonia this year.

Notably, last September, three Russian military jets encroached on Estonian airspace for a duration of 12 minutes. The ongoing situation underscores the tensions and security concerns in the region.