Estonia calls for NATO jets to chase Russian aircraft across borders

NATO jets should be able to pursue Russian aircraft across national borders to strengthen deterrence, a senior Estonian official has said.

Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of Estonia’s foreign ministry, highlighted that alliance aircraft usually “hand off” at borders rather than continuing into neighbouring airspace, Caliber.Az reports via British media.

“What we want the Russians to understand is that they face a unified NATO, not a collection of states, but a unified front whose jets can operate between allies’ borders,” he said.

On September 19, three Russian MiG-31s violated Estonian airspace via the Gulf of Finland, circling for 12 minutes. Finnish F-18s trailed them up to the border before Italian F-35s stationed at Amari air base shadowed the jets through Estonia to Kaliningrad.

Vseviov called for exercises involving jets from multiple nations operating in each other’s airspace. “In order for deterrence to be more credible, we want to see more cross-border stuff happening,” he said. He also noted Estonia’s anti-ship missiles can cover 300km – “the bulk of the Baltic Sea.”

Following the violation, NATO warned Moscow that responses could occur “in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing.” Vseviov hinted at options beyond air defence, including financial measures and cyber operations.

The diplomat also urged strengthening NATO’s eastern posture, calling for permanent deployment of Italy’s Samp/T air defence system in Estonia alongside the shorter-range Iris-T platform.

By Aghakazim Guliyev