A recent maritime standoff in the Gulf of Finland has drawn international attention after Russia deployed a fighter jet to shield a shadow fleet oil tanker from Estonian authorities. The JAGUAR, a Russian-affiliated vessel sailing under the flag of Gabon, was intercepted in international waters by the Estonian Navy as it approached the Russian port of Primorsk. Despite official orders to divert, the tanker’s crew refused.
In response to the attempted detention, the Russian military scrambled a Su-35S fighter jet. The aircraft violated Estonian airspace near the Juminda Peninsula on Tuesday evening and lacked both a flight plan and two-way radio contact with Estonian air traffic control. The intrusion lasted less than a minute.
Estonia deployed an AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter, an M28 Skytruck aircraft, and the patrol boat EML Raju to intercept the vessel. Portuguese F-16 jets, stationed in Ämari under the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, responded swiftly by conducting a reconnaissance flight.
The JAGUAR later anchored near Gogland Island in the eastern Baltic Sea. It is part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, a group of vessels that transport Russian oil and petroleum products covertly to avoid Western sanctions. Similar incidents have occurred previously, including the attempted detention of the Kiwala tanker in April.
The Estonian Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Russian aircraft’s transponder was turned off, a move that violated international aviation rules and NATO airspace protocols. Following the breach, Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires and issued a formal diplomatic note of protest.
Estonian officials say Russia’s increasing airspace violations and shadow fleet movements are not accidental. According to Veiko Kommussaar, Deputy Director General of Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board, these undocumented vessels have been appearing regularly, highlighting a coordinated effort by the Russian dictator to undermine international laws and sanctions.
Military analysts note that these airspace breaches are intended to test NATO defences, gather intelligence, and provoke instability. Estonia has been vocal in its calls for tougher international measures against Russia’s covert maritime logistics operations and aviation provocations.
This marks the first confirmed airspace violation by a Russian aircraft in Estonia in 2025, though similar incidents involving Poland and Sweden have already taken place this year.
