UN Security Council to discuss Russia's violation of Estonian airspace on Monday
The UN Security Council will meet in New York on Monday in response to Russia's violation of Estonian airspace last Friday.
The council will convene on Monday, September 22 at 5 p.m. Estonian time. This is the first time in Estonia's 34 years of UN membership that the country has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
"On September 19, three armed Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes—violating Estonia's territorial integrity and breaching the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force," said Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200).
"By openly violating our airspace, Russia is undermining principles that are essential to the security of all UN member states. It is therefore crucial that such actions—especially when committed by a permanent member of the Security Council—are addressed within this very body."
Tsahkna emphasized that this airspace violation was part of a wider pattern of Russian behavior intended to test the resolve of Europe and NATO.
"Just days earlier, 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, and a Russian attack drone remained in Romanian airspace for an hour. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern of escalation by Russia, both regionally and globally. This behavior requires an international response," the minister said.
"Russia's conduct is incompatible with the responsibilities of a permanent member of the UN Security Council. And such actions would be unacceptable from any UN member state," he added.
On Friday morning, three Russian MIG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission in the Vaindloo Island area and remained there for approximately 12 minutes. The incident was responded to by Italian Air Force F-35 fighter jets participating in NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission at the Ämari Air Base.
The Estonian government requested consultations under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty in response to the incident. According to NATO spokesperson Allison Hart, the North Atlantic Council will meet at the beginning of next week to discuss the incident in more detail.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Michael Cole
