NATO's urgent warning to Russia over 'dangerous' action - 'we'll defend ourselves'

NATO has warned Russia that "we will defend ourselves" using "all necessary military tools" after it sent three fighter jets into Estonia's airspace without permission in a latest provocative step.

Estonia summoned a senior Russian diplomat to protest the incursion of three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that entered its airspace without clearance on Friday. The Russian aircraft reportedly flew over the Vaindloo Island area and stayed in Estonian airspace for 12 minutes.

A meeting of NATO North Atlantic Council was held today following the incursion to "strongly condemn Russia’s dangerous violation of Estonian airspace on 19 September". It told how NATO's response was "quick and decisive" with allied aircraft "scrambled to intercept and escort them from Estonian airspace".

• Horror near miss as airliner 'within 10ft' of EasyJet plane about to take off
• Monster mum murdered her children and left their bodies in suitcases for YEARS

And it made clear that the provocations "must stop" or else Russia must be prepared to face the consequences.

“We do not want to see a continuation of this dangerous behaviour from Russia, and we stand ready to defend every inch of NATO territory,” said NATO chief Mark Rutte said.

And a NATO statement read: "This incursion is part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour.

"This is the second time in two weeks that the North Atlantic Council has met under Article 4. On 10 September, the Council held consultations in response to the large-scale violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones.

"Several other Allies – including Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Romania – have also recently experienced airspace violations by Russia. We express our full solidarity with all Allies whose airspace has been breached.

"Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives. They must stop."

It continued by saying that NATO will use all "military and non-military tools" as a defence against Russia.

"NATO’s response to Russia's reckless actions will continue to be robust," it said. "On 12 September, we launched “Eastern Sentry” to bolster NATO’s posture along the entire Eastern flank. We will reinforce our capabilities and strengthen our deterrence and defence posture, including through effective air defence.

"Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions. We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing. Our commitment to Article 5 is ironclad."

NATO also made it clear that it would continue to support Ukraine and would not be intimidated by Russia.

"Allies will not be deterred by these and other irresponsible acts by Russia from their enduring commitments to support Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defence against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression," it stated.

The Russian fighter jets crossed into Estonian territory near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland, flying without transponders or flight plans and ignoring two-way radio communications with Estonian air traffic control. Italian F-35 jets, deployed as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission, were scrambled to intercept the intruding aircraft.

Afterwards Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, called the incident “unprecedentedly brazen,” noting that Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times this year, but never on such a scale.