Ankara: Russia on Monday denied allegations that its fighter jets had violated the airspace of neighboring Estonia, saying that last Friday's flight of three of its MiG-31 aircraft was done "strictly in accordance with international airspace regulations."

According to Anadolu Agency, Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's UN ambassador, addressed a Security Council meeting, stating that Russia was wrongfully accused of violating Estonian airspace. He argued that there was no evidence to support Estonia's claims, dismissing them as "Russophobic hysteria" from Tallinn, the capital of the Baltic country.

Polyansky emphasized that the jets followed a planned route from Russia's Republic of Karelia to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave situated between Lithuania and Poland, and did not deviate from the agreed air corridor. The Russian Defense Ministry supported his remarks, asserting that "objective monitoring" confirmed the MiGs did not breach Estonian borders and that the aircraft did not violate the borders of other states.

Estonia had accused Russia on Friday of violating its airspace, alleging that three MiG-31 fighter jets entered its skies without permission. The Estonian Foreign Ministry stated that the incursion occurred near Vaindloo Island in the Baltic Sea, with the jets purportedly remaining in Estonian airspace for nearly 12 minutes. Following the alleged incident, Estonia summoned Russia's charge d'affaires in Tallinn to deliver a formal protest note. Moscow, however, has denied these allegations, as well as similar accusations involving other NATO countries in recent weeks.