Estonia summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires on Sept. 19 after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the Baltic nation’s airspace for 12 minutes, the Foreign Ministry said.

The incursion occurred over the Gulf of Finland, where the aircraft crossed into Estonian territory without permission before departing. The Estonian Defence Forces confirmed the violation.

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

The Estonian Foreign Ministry said Moscow had been handed a formal protest note over the violation.

Russia has not publicly commented on the incursion.

The violation comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Earlier this month, Poland confirmed that it had shot down Russian drones that entered its airspace during a mass aerial attack on Ukraine — the first time a NATO member has directly engaged Russian military assets over its own territory during the war.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the Sept. 10 incident as “an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace” and said it brought Europe “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”

In response, Warsaw temporarily closed its main airport, placed its air defenses on high alert, and requested consultations with NATO allies under Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty.

Polish authorities have since launched a review of bomb shelters nationwide as part of a multibillion-zloty civil defense program to improve readiness in the event of further escalations.

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