Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-26

[Tamas]

Nato says Russian violation 'not type of behaviour one would expect from professional air force' as confirms details of response

Oh, STRONG WORDS! I can feel Russia tremble.

Is that another "quote" you made up?

I ask because the actual quote in the BBC article linked above was

Nato spokesperson Allison Hart said the military alliance "responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft", calling it "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and Nato's ability to respond".

If it was made up, it was made up by The Guardian.

Nato says Russian violation 'not type of behaviour one would expect from professional air force' as confirms details of response
Nato's Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Operations, or SHAPE, in Belgium has offered a bit more on the Estonian incident.

It confirmed that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonia's airspace, noting with a bit of understatement that "this is not the type of behaviour one would expect from a professional air force."

"Nato quickly responded under Eastern Sentry, scrambling Italian F-35 fighter jets based in Estonia," it said, adding that Sweden and Finland also scrambled their quick reaction aircraft.

It added:

"Nato's Allied Air Command maintained a consolidated air picture and close coordination with Allies throughout the response.

"As we have stated previously, Eastern Sentry integrates air and ground-based defences and better connects existing activities like air policing into a more coherent defensive posture. That was on display today."

[Tamas]

Also, I am increasingly concerned about just what Putin convinced/coerced Trump to agree to in Alaska.  There were rumours of Trump staff looking quite shellshocked after the meeting, and Trump and the US has been even more subdued re. Russia than usual since then. Apart from the "Europe, you first" thing about sanctions around the purchase of Russian oil (a fair comment on some level, to be fair) and one of Trump's senile moments (Putin screwed me over with Ukraine - or something to that effect) there's been radio silence, including this incident. Oh no, wait, I am wrong, Trump publicly played down the Poland drones incident.

[crazy canuck]

Here is the article form the Guardian.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/19/estonia-accuses-russia-of-brazen-violation-of-its-airspace

The NATO quote is the same as reported by the BBC article. 

A Nato spokesperson confirmed the latest incident, saying it had "responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft" and describing it as "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour". Moscow did not immediately comment.

[Zoupa]

[The Minsky Moment]

There has been silence about Alaska because it was such an extreme embarrassment for the administration and showcased Trump's extraordinary incompetence in conducting negotiations. I'm sure any number of idiotic things were said and done in private, but the public facing realities are so bad it's reason enough to bury and try to paper over by taking credit for bringing peace to conflicts that are still raging and others that don't exist.

[Tonitrus]

The quotes I'd like to see NATO make is "the Russian fighters were instructed to depart Estonian airspace or be destroyed" followed by "the Russian Federation is well aware of the current political/security environment in the Baltic/Polish area of operations, any further violations of the airspace of NATO alliance members can now be expected to be destroyed without warning".

[The Minsky Moment]

Translation of O'Donnell - Russian fighter jets penetrated NATO airspace and we responded by putting on a nice looking air show. 

It's nice to hear that NATO air command is putting their "posture" on "display" but shouldn't they save that for their paying onlyfans subscribers?

[Josquius]

That the response was non violent is fine. What isnt fine is it took so long.

Russia really are determined to strop more anti air equipment going to Ukraine.

[Zoupa]

Europe

[Tonitrus]

That the response was non violent is fine. What isnt fine is it took so long.

We don't know how quick the interception was...they could have just ignored the escorting aircraft for several minutes.

[crazy canuck]

That the response was non violent is fine. What isnt fine is it took so long.

We don't know how quick the interception was...they could have just ignored the escorting aircraft for several minutes.

NATO said they responded "immediately" and "intercepted".  That does not seem to be consistent with ignoring it for a number of minutes.

[Tonitrus]

My meaning was "ignoring" after intercepting. Even if they intercepted within, say, 5 minutes...the MiG-31 could have have still been flying in Estonian airspace for several minutes ignoring the F-35 off his wing.

[Zoupa]

The 3 MiGs had no flight plan logged and their transponders were off. The russians are begging for it at this point.

[mongers]

Well the Russian air farce hasn't exactly shown much efficiency flying against Ukraine, so any firm NATO response ie shotdowns al a Turkey, as Zoupa thoughtfully mentioned, would call Putin's bluff over this. 

[Tonitrus]

The 3 MiGs had no flight plan logged and their transponders were off. The russians are begging for it at this point.

I believe they were part of the exercises going on with Belarus, so that may be normal.  Still agree it was an intentional probe though. 

I wonder how high they were...MiG-31s are usually a high-altitude interceptor designed to take down US nuclear bombers (some have been refitted to carry their Kinzhal ballistic missile, but I'd be surprised if these were any of those), not a dogfighting aircraft at all, or anything that would want to tangle with F-35s or F-16s.