Finland summoned Russia’s ambassador on Monday over allegations that two Russian military aircraft violated Finnish airspace near the southern coast last week, escalating tensions between the neighboring nations.
The suspected breach occurred off the coast of Porvoo, approximately 50 kilometers east of Helsinki, and is under investigation by Finnish authorities. The country’s defense ministry first reported the incident on Friday.
"The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has summoned the ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace," the Finnish government said in a post on X. In a statement to Reuters, the ministry added that the ambassador was told Finland "takes the suspected territorial violation seriously" and that he had agreed to relay the message to Moscow.
Finland, which joined NATO in April 2023 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia. Since its accession, Helsinki has repeatedly warned of heightened security threats and has moved to strengthen its defenses.
Moscow has condemned Finland’s NATO membership, warning of unspecified repercussions. Last week, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen told AFP that the country was "closely monitoring and assessing Russia’s activities and intentions." His remarks followed New York Times reports of satellite imagery showing expanded Russian military infrastructure near the border. Häkkänen noted that Russia’s military buildup was "not a surprise to Finland."
Baltic Security Concerns and NATO Response
The Baltic Sea region remains on high alert following a series of disruptions to underwater power cables, telecommunications links, and gas pipelines since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. NATO, which expanded further with Sweden’s membership in 2024, has increased its maritime presence in the area, deploying frigates, surveillance aircraft, and naval drones.
In April, Finland announced plans to raise defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 while restructuring its military to counter evolving threats. The diplomatic summons coincided with a visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with the prime ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland for a regional summit.