Finland: Suspected Airspace Violation by Russian Aircraft

Past incidents typically involved Russian fighter jets or reconnaissance aircraft briefly crossing into Finnish territory, often prompting Finnish fighter jet interceptions.

BALTIC REGION — On May 23, 2025, two Russian military aircraft were suspected of violating Finnish airspace over the Gulf of Finland near Porvoo, according to a statement from the Finnish Defense Ministry released at 19:06 local time.

Russian SU-30. Credit: Alex Beltyukov, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia

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The ministry's press release, titled "Suspected airspace violation in the Gulf of Finland," quoted Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen as saying, "We take the suspected territorial violation seriously and an investigation is underway."

The incident, occurring in the afternoon, has intensified concerns over regional security amid Russia’s increased military activities near NATO borders, prompting an investigation by Finland’s Border Guard.

Acronym Index
• FDM: Finnish Defense Ministry
• NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Details of the Suspected Violation, Analysis: