Estonian officials maintained Saturday that there was no need to trigger Article 5, NATO's collective defense clause, despite the repeated violations by Russian jets and drones as well as allegations from Western officials that Moscow is waging a hybrid war against the West including a sabotage campaign, cyberattacks and influence operations.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said his country had decided to ask NATO to open consultations under Article 4 of the alliance's treaty, and that the Russian jets flew around 5 nautical miles (9 km) into NATO airspace before Italian F-35s, currently stationed at a base in Estonia, pushed them out.

This marks the first time in over 30 years that Estonia has requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

German air force says its ‘quick reaction alert force’ was ordered by NATO to investigate plane in neutral airspace.

Three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace Friday in a move the Baltic nation called "unprecedentedly brazen" and that appears to be the latest test of NATO's defenses by the Kremlin's forces. NATO aircraft intercepted the jets, the military alliance's spokesperson Allison Hart said on X.

Estonia said three Russian jets entered its airspace without permission on September 19 and stayed in it for 12 minutes.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss Russian incursions over Estonia’s airspace, Estonian and UN officials said Sunday.

The UK is not the only Nato country patrolling the eastern flank - with missions also being coordinated alongside Denmark, France and Germany.