Europe Again in Panic: Russian MiG-31 "Stirs" the Skies Over Estonia
NATO "Eagles" always find excuses to portray Russia as an aggressor
(Image caption: MiG-31BM supersonic all-weather long-range interceptor)
Estonia accused Russia of violating its airspace. According to the country's government, on September 19, three MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace over the Vaindloo Island (остров Вайндлоо) area and remained in the region for 12 minutes.
In response, NATO deployed fighter jets. An Estonian military representative stated that the Russian pilots did not turn on their transponders, did not contact air traffic controllers, and did not follow their flight plan.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the flight was fully in accordance with the rules: "On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew according to plan from Karelia to a military base in the Kaliningrad Oblast."
The flight strictly followed the "Rules for the Use of International Airspace," did not violate any national borders, and this has been confirmed by objective monitoring methods."
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense pointed out that the aircraft route was more than 3 kilometers away from Vaindloo Island, over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.
Estonian Foreign Minister Marko Tõnisson said: "Russia has violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which is unacceptable in itself, and today's act of three fighter jets invading our airspace is an unprecedented provocation."
Estonia did not stop at accusations but also sought support from allies under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty (which allows member states to consult on security threats). The country's Prime Minister Kristian Peet confirmed this information.
US President Donald Trump said he was "displeased" with the news of Estonia's airspace being violated: "This could lead to serious trouble, but I will explain it to you later." Trump said that a briefing on the matter would be held soon.
President of the European Council Antonio Costa said: "We will discuss collective response measures against Russia's actions at the informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1."
Poland also accused Russian aircraft of flying violations. The country's border service stated that "two Russian fighter jets flew low over the Petrobaltic oil platform in the Baltic Sea, violating the safety zone of the platform."
Presidents of Lithuania and Latvia stated that it is necessary to strengthen monitoring of the Baltic region by expanding NATO presence and deploying additional radar systems.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed her position: "In the face of recent Russian violations of our airspace, Europe firmly supports Estonia. We will respond decisively to every provocation and strengthen the defense of the eastern flank. As threats escalate, our pressure will also increase..."
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas naturally did not remain silent, stating: "We must not show weakness, because weakness only encourages Russia to take more radical actions."
So why were these aircraft sent to Kaliningrad? Sergey Isayenko, a military commentator from "Free Media," analyzed this incident and the tense situation in the region.
"Free Media" (СП): Why send "Kinzhal" hypersonic missile carriers to Kaliningrad?
The media reports did not mention that these aircraft are the MiG-31Ks capable of carrying the "Kinzhal" hypersonic missiles; they might just be regular interceptors.
The MiG-31 is a heavy interceptor developed during the Soviet era, and most of these aircraft are still used as interceptors, with only a few modified to become missile carriers. It is currently unclear whether the aircraft involved in this incident carried missiles — they may or may not have.
"Free Media": So, they might have been sent to carry out a defensive mission?
They might have been carrying out a task in the Baltic Sea airspace and then landed in Kaliningrad for refueling before taking off the next day from there.
"Free Media": Europe has issued a series of strong statements regarding yesterday's event...
Europe is now looking for various excuses to escalate tensions, including the situation around Kaliningrad. Poland claimed that the aircraft flew over its economic zone, likely referring to the same batch of aircraft.
Previously, Russia held the "West" military exercises, and in response, Poland conducted the "Iron Guardian" exercises within its territory, involving 50,000 Polish and allied troops, with most of the forces deployed around Kaliningrad and some along the border with Belarus.
It can be inferred that Europe wants to push the situation to the highest level of tension, trying to show readiness for a potential attack on the Kaliningrad defense area.
"Free Media": Is Europe making a big deal out of nothing?
Driven by political purposes, they are inflating this incident. The previous drone incident in Poland caused a lot of noise but ended up going nowhere, and now they need another excuse to escalate tensions, such as this aircraft incident — even though Russian aircraft flying over Kaliningrad is a normal occurrence.
However, the navigational environment in the Baltic Sea and its airspace is extremely complex: crowded air space, many islands, and complicated routes. Even the slightest deviation could cause an aircraft to deviate from its course, which is a very delicate situation. Incidents of "accusing aircraft of violating airspace, deviating from the route" occur frequently in this region, because in this area, a deviation of 5-6 kilometers in any direction could enter a no-fly zone.
(Note: The term "MiG-31" refers to the current mainstay interceptor model of Russia; "MiG-31K" is an upgraded version of this model, capable of carrying the "Kinzhal" hypersonic missile; "Kaliningrad Oblast" is a Russian exclave located in Europe, adjacent to Poland and Lithuania, and is strategically important.)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7552116677027856935/
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