After MiGs flew into Estonia the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense recalled how Turkey shot down a Russian bomber

After Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew into Estonia, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė recalled how in 2015 Turkey shot down a Russian plane when it violated the country's airspace. The relevant post the government official published in the social network X.

"Three Russian fighter jets over Tallinn is one more hard proof that [NATO operation] Eastern Sentry is long due. NATO's border in the North East is being tested for a reason. We need to mean business. PS. Türkiye set an example 10 years ago. Some food for thought," Šakalienė wrote.

In November 2015, the Air Force of Turkey, which is also a NATO member, destroyed a Russian Su-24 frontline bomber when it violated the country's airspace near the Syrian border. This aircraft was part of the Russian group that was bombing Syria. The incident resulted in the death of the aircraft's crew commander.

In response to the downing of this ship, the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin imposed sanctions against Turkey. However, the following year, the aggressor country began to lift these restrictions.

• On the morning of September 19, Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace near the capital Tallinn. In total, Russian planes were over Estonia about 12 minutes before NATO sent Italian F-35s to escort them.
• The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Russian Federation to protest and hand over a note. However, the Estonian government later decided to request a consultations with NATO allies on Article 4 – the last time this was done was after the Russian drone attack on Poland on September 10.
• In the evening of the same day, two Russian fighter jets violated the security zone drilling platform of the Polish company Petrobaltic in the Baltic Sea.