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Estonia Says Russian Fighter Jets Violated Its Airspace Over Gulf of Finland

A MiG-31 fighter jet. Wikicommons

Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonia's airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, officials in the Baltic country said.

It marks the fourth known Russian incursion into Estonian airspace this year and comes a week after Russian drones crossed over into Poland, prompting NATO to scramble fighter jets to shoot down the unmanned aircraft.

"Russia has already violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today's incursion... is unprecedentedly brazen," Estonia Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Friday.

Estonia's Defense Ministry also confirmed the airspace violation.

"Russia's increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure," Tsahkna said.

A Russian military helicopter violated Estonian airspace earlier this month. Similar incidents occurred in June and May.

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