Germany scrambled fighter jets over the Baltic Sea after a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft flew with its transponders switched off and failed to respond to radio contact, the German air force said. The Eurofighters launched from Rostock-Laage airbase and escorted the Russian plane, which was operating in international airspace.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between NATO and Moscow, following a series of airspace violations by Russian military aircraft. On Friday, Estonia accused three Russian MiG-31 fighters of entering its airspace over the Gulf of Finland—a claim Moscow has denied.
Estonia’s government called the incursion “brazen” and announced an emergency UN Security Council meeting, the first since the country joined the United Nations 34 years ago. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described the flights as part of “a broader pattern of escalation by Russia, both regionally and globally,” citing recent airspace violations over Poland and Romania. “This behaviour requires an international response,” he said.
Tallinn has formally requested consultations under NATO’s Article 4, which allows allies to meet if a member believes its security is under threat. Poland, too, has voiced alarm. Its foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, warned last week that Russia was testing NATO’s resolve through “incremental” provocations short of direct conflict. His comments followed the discovery of Russian drone debris inside Polish territory, including a decoy drone found by a villager near Sulmice in Zamość county.
Meanwhile, Washington’s stance is under scrutiny. Asked Sunday if the U.S. would defend European allies against Russian aggression, President Donald Trump replied: “Yeah, I would. I would,” though he said he had not been briefed on the latest incidents.
Reports suggest Russia may escalate attacks on Ukraine, calculating that U.S. support for Kyiv will wane. Bloomberg, citing Kremlin sources, said President Vladimir Putin concluded after his August summit with Trump in Alaska that Washington is unlikely to significantly bolster Ukraine’s defenses.
On Sunday, Russia’s defence ministry said a Ukrainian drone strike in Crimea killed two people and wounded 15 in a resort area.
Estonia’s defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, warned that Moscow’s actions are designed to distract NATO members from supporting Ukraine. “This is exactly what Russia wants – to divert our attention away from helping Ukraine and to focus on our own backyard,” he said.
