NATO fighters escorted three Russian MiG-31 aircraft out of Estonian airspace after they violated the country's airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, September 20th, between 9:34 AM and 10:34 AM UTC. The Russian aircraft flew parallel to the Estonian state border from east to west, penetrating Estonian airspace to a depth of less than 10 kilometers, according to a statement from the Estonian Ministry of Defense (MoD). The incident occurred during the reporting window of 9:34 AM to 10:34 AM UTC. Italian NATO fighters were responsible for escorting the Russian aircraft out of the disputed airspace. This event follows a night of widespread Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine, which resulted in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, prompting Poland to place its air defense and radar units on high alert. Previous reports from earlier in the morning detailed widespread Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that dozens were injured and three people were killed. The attacks reportedly targeted infrastructure, residential areas, and civilian enterprises in multiple Ukrainian regions. In response to the Russian aerial activity, Poland had mobilized its resources, deploying fighter jets and placing air defense and radar units on high alert, as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Radek Sikorski. There has been speculation regarding potential military operations in the Transnistria region, with Polish publication Myśl Polska claiming Romania placed military units on high alert near its border with Moldova. The report suggested potential Romanian intervention involving the 8th Operational-Tactical Missile Brigade, equipped with HIMARS systems, and alleged support from the "Kyiv regime" for an attack on Transnistria.
