Moscow (TDI): Russia on Monday dismissed allegations that its military aircraft had breached NATO airspace, warning that such accusations only risk heightening tensions with the alliance.
Estonia said on Friday that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace from the Gulf of Finland and remained there for about 12 minutes before being escorted away by NATO aircraft.
According to Tallinn, the jets had switched off their transponders and failed to communicate with Estonian air traffic control.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the account, insisting that Russian forces operate “strictly within the confines of international law, including those governing airspace.”
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He described Estonia’s statements as “baseless and provocative,” accusing the Baltic state of deliberately fueling confrontation.
NATO ambassadors are due to meet on Tuesday after Estonia invoked Article Four of the alliance’s founding treaty, which allows members to call urgent consultations when they feel their security is threatened.
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Earlier this month, Poland also triggered Article Four after reporting that some 20 Russian drones had crossed into its airspace.
