Russia’s ambassador to Estonia Yury Merzlakov was summoned to the Estonian foreign ministry, after reports that Russian aircraft violated Estonian airspace recently.

Estonia Foreign Ministry representative Mari-Liis Valter said the government considers the violation serious and demands an explanation why the surveillance plane was spotted in its airspace on Tuesday.

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Estonia’s armed forces said the Russian Ilyushin-20 aircraft entered their airspace for about one minute.

The report came after Russia was accused of alleged series of border violations. NATO has already set up its Baltic patrols following the increasing tension between the West and Russia over the Ukraine issue.

A statement from NATO said the Russian surveillance plane was intercepted by Portuguese and Danish fighter jets. Non-member Sweden also intercepted the Russian aircraft while flying over the Baltic Sea. The statement added the plane entered the Estonian airspace near Saaremaa Island.

Following the reports, Moscow denied that a surveillance aircraft has committed airspace violation by entering Estonia. A spokesman at Russia’s Defense Ministry said during an Interfax news agency interview that no violation was committed as the Ilyushin-20 was on a training flight within the neutral territory over the Baltic Sea. The spokesman said the military plane left Khrabrovo airfield on October 21.

Estonia also accused Russia of having abducted one police official at gunpoint on the border. However, Russia said Estonian police officer Eston Kohver was arrested on September 5 while inside their territory.

Kohver has been charged with espionage and is currently held in Russia. The United States and the European Union have called for his immediate release.

Meanwhile, the Stockholm archipelago is being thoroughly monitored by the Swedish Navy following reports of a suspected foreign submarine illegally entering its waters. Sweden has not linked the report with Russia but many analysts said the latter is likely the suspect.

Moscow had also denied any of their submarines had been in the area recently.

TagsEstonia, Russia, Yury Merzlakov, Mari-Liis Valter, NATO, European Union, United States of America, Ukraine, Baltic Sea, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Russian Ilyushin-20