Russia's air incursion 'threat to global peace', say leaders

Russia's incursion into Estonian airspace was condemned as “reckless” and “provocative” by senior world leaders yesterday as the UN Security Council gathered in New York for an emergency meeting.

- NICOLE WOOTTON-CANE

The urgent session was called after multiple incursions by Moscow into European airspace, including the entry of Russian fighter jets over Estonia for 12 minutes on Friday.

Representatives slammed Russia for “choosing escalation and provocation” in what they deemed a “threat to global peace and security”.

Moscow strongly refuted the allegations, claiming they had been portrayed as an enemy with “no facts or evidence” and that Europe was “letting its imagination run wild in relation to the threat from Russia”.

But foreign secretary Yvette Cooper warned Russia that its incursions into Nato territory risked a direct armed conflict and that the alliance would be ready to confront warplanes entering Nato airspace.

“Your reckless actions risk direct armed confrontation between Nato and Russia,” she told the meeting. “Our alliance is defensive but be under no illusion we stand ready to defend Nato’s skies and Nato’s territory.”