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Russian Defense Ministry says no Russian warplane violated Estonia's airspace

A Russian An-72 transport plane was conducting a preplanned mission in the area but didn't violate other countries' airspace

MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Russia's Defense Ministry has refuted allegations of a Russian Air Force plane violating Estonia's airspce, the press service of the ministry said Monday.

The press service said a Russian An-72 transport plane was conducting a preplanned mission from Saint Petersburg to Russi'a westermost Kaliningrad Region. The plane flew over neutral waters of the Baltic sea in strict compliance with the international rules and with no violation of air space of Estonia or any other state, the press service said.

NATO raises number of warplanes in Eastern Europe

Chief Commander of Russia’s Air Force Colonel General Viktor Bondarev earlier said that NATO has raised the number of its aircraft at airfields in NATO states in Eastern Europe using the current crisis in Ukraine as a pretext. The number of tactical fighter jets patrolling the air space in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with deployment at airbases Zokniai in Lithuania and Amari in Estonia has been increased 3.5 times, he said. Meanwhile, US and NATO air squadrons of up to 12 tactical fighter jets have been deployed additionally at Polish airbases in Malbork and Minsk Mazowiecki and Campia Turzii in Romania on a rotation basis since the start of this year.