Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has confirmed at the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers that a Russian military aircraft – apparently a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet – violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland to protect an oil tanker sailing under the Gabonese flag, which was en route to the Russian port of Primorsk. The incursion occurred because Estonia attempted to stop this Russian shadow fleet tanker, as it was unflagged, uninsured, and listed under the UK sanctions regime.
According to Margus Tsahkna, the Russian Federation dispatched its fighter jet to monitor the situation, and it breached Estonian airspace for nearly a minute. “We must understand that the situation is extremely serious,” he emphasized.
The Estonian foreign minister stated that the incident is yet another piece of evidence that Russia poses a serious threat beyond Ukraine. Therefore, in his view, NATO must strengthen its deterrence and defense – especially in European member states.
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This event was particularly interesting to me personally, as I happened to hear a loud bang yesterday while I was in a small house in the Finnish countryside – it sounded as if a cannon had been fired right next to me. I don’t know if that sound was connected to the incident over the Gulf of Finland, but I’m fairly certain it was a Finnish fighter jet flying faster than the speed of sound.
That led me to consider the possibility that the Finnish Air Force might have decided to intervene yesterday – although, as far as I know, this hasn’t been reported anywhere – to ensure that the Russian Su-35 pilot didn’t take any reckless actions. Of course, I don’t know if that’s the case, but the incident underlines the need for the countries around the Baltic Sea to intensify their cooperation in order to put an end to the business Russia is conducting through its shadow fleet.
At the same time, Estonia – at the very least – must invest more in its own defense, particularly in its naval and air capabilities, because Finland would not be able to assist its smaller neighbor if it were also under attack. However, in this case, it would – at least in principle – have been possible, and thus the sound I heard may well have been a sign of Finnish-Estonian military cooperation.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Russia’s War Rages On – And the World Keeps Funding It
Sabotage in the Baltic Sea Sparks Calls for New Maritime Borders
Finns - Among the World’s Best
I think Mr.Professor is right. The sound barrier is not broken over land if the situation is not considered more alarming.
ReplyDeleteSerious yes. But I don't see this as that 'serious'. The Russia/Putin regime is more accurately be called extremely pretend-serious, provocative, while the event itself appears to be something I'd call *unserious*, without connection between what they claim what happened and what they actually did.
ReplyDeleteJust think this. They must have planned the incident, the flagless fleet knowingly aiming at Estonian waters, with a predetermined decision to not obey the local authority. They planned the military plane appearance, outed the Gabonese ship as a tool fir provocation. Then, they use their best KGB chutzpah and just say the event was a provocation, but just not from their side.
They lie, we know they lie, they know they lie. We know they know we know they lie. Yet they care to lie. AD 2025, Putinstan.
Bäckman will repeat that, like all Putin regime messaging. Other useful idiots will be like him. As it was with the USSR, modern Putinstan doesn't just lie, it capitalizes dishonesty and will eventually be destroyed by it.