Nato restates ‘ironclad’ commitment to mutual defence after Russian incursions

Nato will respond to Russian aerial incursions “in the manner, timing and domain of our choosing”, the alliance has warned Moscow after last week’s violation of Estonian airspace.

In a statement following a meeting of Nato’s North Atlantic Council, the alliance condemned the incursion by three MiG-31 jets on September 19, describing it as “part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour”.

Nato warned: “Russia should be in no doubt: Nato and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions.

“We will continue to respond in the manner, timing and domain of our choosing.”

The statement added that Nato’s commitment to its Article 5 mutual defence pact is “ironclad”.

Tuesday’s meeting came at Estonia’s request after the Baltic country invoked Nato’s Article 4, which calls for allies to consult if the “territorial integrity, political independence or security” of any member is threatened.

Article 4 has been invoked nine times since Nato’s foundation in 1949, including twice this month following Russian incursions into allied airspace.

Last Friday’s incident saw three jets intercepted by Nato aircraft operating as part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission.

It followed incidents earlier in September that saw Russian drones shot down over Poland, and another drone intercepted in Romanian airspace.

All three incidents have brought increasingly tough language from Nato allies.

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk said the violation of his country’s airspace had brought it the closest to “open conflict” it had been since the Second World War.

Speaking to the UN Security Council on Monday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK is “ready to confront planes that are operating in Nato airspace without permission”, and accused Moscow of risking “direct armed confrontation”.

The UK has already committed RAF Typhoon jets to the Eastern Sentry mission, with the aircraft flying their first mission over Poland on the night of September 19.