German jets intercept Russian plane over Baltic Sea as Estonia calls UN meeting

Two German Eurofighters jet were deployed on Sunday, September 21, 2025, to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, amid growing tensions between NATO and Moscow.

Germany’s air force said the Russian Il-20M had switched off its transponder and ignored repeated attempts at communication. The jets took off from Rostock-Laage airbase and intercepted the aircraft while it was in international airspace.

Estonia said Russian plane had also entered its airspace on Friday, prompting Tallinn to call an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, the first since Estonia joined the United Nations (UN). 

The Estonian foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, described the incidents as part of a wider escalation and urged for an international response.

The latest confrontations come after a series of incidents across the region. Three Russian MiG-31 fighters recently crossed into Estonian territory in the Gulf of Finland. Poland also reported violations of its airspace, while Romanian officials cited similar concerns.

Estonia has requested consultations under NATO’s Article Four, which allows members to meet if their security is threatened. Latvia’s president, Edgars Rinkevics, advised of a “serious conflict” if provocations continued, while the Czech president, Petr Pavel, urged NATO to remain united.

Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said a Ukraine drone strike on Crimea over the weekend killed two people and injured 15.

Reports suggest Moscow is intensifying its military actions following President Vladimir Putin’s August summit with Donald Trump, believing Washington will reduce support for Ukranine and the Baltic states.

Estonia’s defence minster, Hanno Peyku said Russia’s actions were intended to shift attention away from Ukraine. “This is exactly what Russia wants to divert focus from Ukraine and push NATO to concentrate on its own borders,” he said.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he remained open to talks with Putin, either directly or alongside Trump, though Moscow insists any negotiations must begin with Ukraine’s surrender.