Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Estonia to lodge a protest and deliver a note concerning an "unprecedentedly brazen" violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russian military jets that occurred on  September 19, the ministry said on its website.

As reported by bne IntelliNews, earlier in the day, the European Commission proposed a 19th EU round of sanctions against Russia, citing, among other reasons, the airspace violations.

The incursion took place over the Gulf of Finland, where three Russian Federation MIG-31 fighter aircraft entered Estonian airspace without permission and remained there for a total of 12 minutes.

“Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. “Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure.”

The Estonian Defence Forces also reported the violation.

In the past, airspace incursions by Russia in Estonia have lasted for less than a minute.

Estonia has become the latest Nato member to report violations of its airspace by Russian jets and drones in recent days, CNN.com said on September 19.

Nato spokesperson Allison Hart called the incident “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and Nato’s ability to respond,” CNN.com reported.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who served as Estonia's PM previously, also condemned the airspace breach, describing it as an “extremely dangerous provocation.”

“This marks the third such violation of EU airspace in days and further escalates tensions in the region,” Kallas wrote on X. “The EU stands in full solidarity with Estonia,” CNN.com reported.

She said she was in close contact with the Estonian government. “Putin is testing the West’s resolve. We must not show weakness,” she added.