Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador for a formal discussion. Photo: Roni Rekomaa / Lehtikuva
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Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has summoned Russia’s ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov following suspicions that two Russian military aircraft entered Finnish airspace near Porvoo on Friday.
The incident marks the first suspected breach of Finnish airspace by Russian aircraft since February. A spokesperson from the foreign ministry confirmed the diplomatic summons to Yle after the initial report by Iltalehti.
“We take the suspected airspace violation seriously, and an investigation is underway,” said Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen.
The aircraft reportedly entered Finnish territory for an undetermined period before exiting. The Finnish Border Guard’s Gulf of Finland Coast Guard unit has opened a preliminary investigation into the matter.
No information has been released on the type of aircraft involved or how far they penetrated Finnish airspace.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that Finland will formally request an explanation from Russia through diplomatic channels. The Russian embassy has not issued a public response.
Such airspace violations are rare but politically sensitive, especially in the context of heightened regional tensions. Finland joined NATO in 2023, citing increased concern over Russian military activity.
In past cases, Finnish authorities have conducted flight path analysis and requested radar data from neighbouring NATO members to verify incidents.
Finnish law requires immediate reporting and investigation of any suspected foreign airspace breaches. The current probe will determine whether the incursion was deliberate or accidental.
The incident occurred east of Helsinki, near Porvoo, a common location for monitoring military flight paths due to its proximity to the Gulf of Finland and Russia’s western military district.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
