Estonia formally summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires on September 8, 2025, to lodge a diplomatic protest after a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter entered its airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland. The incursion lasted approximately four minutes, during which the helicopter flew without a flight plan, with its transponder turned off, and failed to establish communication with Estonian air traffic control. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna denounced the violation as “serious and regrettable,” marking Estonia’s third such breach by Russian aircraft this year.
Estonian defense authorities highlighted several troubling indicators: the helicopter’s unauthorized entry into sovereign airspace, non-flight-plan operation, and radio silence. These factors accentuate the breach’s gravity as a concerted act rather than a navigational error. The incident underlines persistent tension between Russia and its Baltic neighbor amid rising regional unease.
This violation follows previous incidents in May and June 2025, when Russian aircraft—including a Su-35 fighter jet—similarly encroached on Estonian airspace. Those earlier events required NATO jets to scramble in response, illustrating a pattern of provocative maneuvers in NATO-member skies.
Across the region, other NATO members have witnessed similar threats. In early September, Poland detected two drones entering its airspace; though they caused no damage and were not intercepted, the breaches occurred amidst a wider Russian drone and missile offensive targeting Ukraine. Despite these airspace incidents, Polish authorities managed them with restraint, avoiding escalation.
The recurrence of these incursions raises alarm about broader threats to regional security. Many Baltic and Nordic nations are also grappling with GPS jamming and spoofing attributed to Russia—disruptions that endanger civilian aviation and represent hybrid warfare tactics. In Estonia, up to 85% of flights reportedly experienced jamming disruptions.
Officials across EU and NATO states are increasingly vocal about these aggressive maneuvers. They caution that such tactics, combining airspace violations and cyber interference, not only breach international law but also escalate the risk of miscalculation or inadvertent conflict. Boosted defense coordination, air policing readiness, and technological resilience are being emphasized to deter further violations.
In summary, the latest Mi-8 incursion over Estonian territory is emblematic of chronic airspace provocation by Russia—part of an intensifying pattern of coercive behavior targeting NATO allies. With multiple member states affected, the incidents demand a robust, unified response to preserve regional stability and deter future breaches.
