Russian Su-35S violates estonian airspace amid navy interception attempt
A Russian Su-35S fighter jet violated Estonian airspace in the Gulf of Finland while providing aerial cover for the shadow fleet tanker JAGUAR, Estonian authorities confirmed on May 14. The incident underscores growing regional tensions over Russia’s covert oil exports via the Baltic Sea.
The tanker, flagged under Gabon, was en route to Primorsk, a key Russian port, when it was confronted by the Estonian Navy. Estonian forces deployed an AW139 helicopter, an M28 Skytruck reconnaissance aircraft, and the EML Raju patrol vessel in an effort to halt the ship’s passage through international waters.
Despite being ordered to alter its course, the JAGUAR failed to comply and ultimately anchored near Gogland Island, located in the eastern Baltic Sea. The Estonian Ministry of Defense stated that the Russian Su-35S involved in the incident did not maintain two-way radio contact with Estonian air traffic control—constituting a serious breach of airspace protocol.
NATO fighters scrambled – EU targets russian shadow fleet
In response to the violation, Portuguese F-16s stationed at Ämari Air Base under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were dispatched to monitor the situation. The encounter is part of a broader pattern of increased Russian activity in the Gulf of Finland, often involving undocumented tankers believed to be operating within the Kremlin’s so-called shadow fleet.
Estonian officials recently detained another shadow fleet vessel, the Kiwala, on April 11 for similar unauthorized operations. Both tankers are reportedly involved in transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products to third-party countries, bypassing international monitoring efforts.
Veiko Kommusaar, head of the Finnish Border Guard’s border service, confirmed the rise in such unauthorized vessel movements. “Over the past year, a lot of vessels have appeared in the Gulf of Finland that are passing without documents. And we can safely say that this is part of the shadow fleet,” he stated.
On the same day as the JAGUAR incident, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU had officially blacklisted 189 Russian-linked vessels, as part of new sanctions targeting revenues from Russia’s oil exports.
