Three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, Estonia said, triggering complaints of a dangerous new provocation from the EU and NATO but a denial from Moscow.
Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defense support mission in the Baltic states were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off, Estonian and Italian officials said, with alliance chief Mark Rutte praising the "quick and decisive response."
Sweden and Finland also scrambled rapid reaction aircraft, a spokesman for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) told reporters.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.