Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 21, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
A Russian IL-20M aircraft entered Baltic airspace, tracked by German Eurofighters before NATO partners in Sweden took over. NATO to discuss Estonian airspace breach.
BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany's air force on Sunday morning sent two Eurofighters to track a Russian IL-20m military aircraft that had entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea, it said, before handing the escort over to NATO partners in Sweden.
"Once again, our quick reaction alert force, consisting of two Eurofighters, was tasked by NATO with investigating an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in international airspace," Germany's air force said in a statement.
"It was a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft. After visual identification, we handed over escort duties for the aircraft to our Swedish NATO partners and returned to Rostock-Laage."
NATO's North Atlantic Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss Russia's violation of Estonian airspace, two officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.
Tallinn said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets had entered Estonian airspace without permission on Friday and stayed for a total of 12 minutes before they were forced to withdraw.
(Reporting by Klaus Lauer and Christoph Steitz; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Germany's air force tracked a Russian IL-20M military aircraft.
NATO tasked Germany's quick reaction alert force to investigate the unidentified aircraft.
After visual identification, the escort duties for the Russian aircraft were handed over to Swedish NATO partners.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission and stayed for a total of 12 minutes.
NATO's North Atlantic Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss Russia's violation of Estonian airspace.
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