Poland reports Russian jets over Baltic oil platform as Nato intercepts MiG-31s near Estonia

Poland on Friday said two Russian fighter jets flew dangerously close to the Petrobaltic oil and gas platform in the Baltic Sea, breaching the facility’s designated safety zone.

The incident came shortly after Nato reported that Russian aircraft had approached Estonian airspace without authorisation.

Nato spokesperson Alison Hart said alliance forces intercepted the jets, describing the move as “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour” while stressing NATO’s readiness to act in response.

In a statement, the Polish Armed Forces confirmed that relevant authorities had been alerted following the low-altitude manoeuvre over the platform.

Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO’s air defence support mission in the Baltic states were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off, Estonian and Italian officials said.

“Three Russian fighter MiG-31 entered Estonian airspace in the Vaindloo Island area without permission, and remained there for approximately 12 minutes,” the Estonian defence forces said.

“The fighter jets did not have flight plans, and their transponders were switched off. At the time of the airspace violation, the fighter jets did not have two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control."

The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, accused Moscow of an “extremely dangerous provocation” and warned that the sortie “further escalates tensions in the region”.

“As threats escalate, so too will our pressure,” said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who earlier in the day had presented for EU member state approval a 19th package of sanctions targeting Moscow over the Ukraine war.

Italy assumed command of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission – Operation Baltic Eagle III – on August 1, with the Italian air force’s F-35 aircraft taking responsibility for surveillance of Baltic airspace.

The alleged incursion came at a moment of heightened tension on NATO’s eastern border, after Poland last week complained that around 20 Russian drones overflew its territory.

Russia is fighting a war in Ukraine and often tests Western air defences but Estonia complained that the sorties have become more provocative in recent months.

“Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion… is unprecedentedly brazen,” Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

With inputs from agencies