Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian fighter jets violate Estonian airspace in third Nato incursion in two weeks

Estonia summoned a Russian diplomat to protest after three Russian fighter aircraft entered its airspace without permission on Friday and stayed there for 12 minutes, the Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said that Russia had already violated Estonian airspace four times this year “but today’s incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen.”

His ministry said that the incursion took place over the Gulf of Finland and three Russian MIG-31 fighters were involved.

The Russian charge d’affaires was summoned and given a protest note, a ministry statement said.

Aside from the EU’s new proposals, the UK has announced fresh sanctions on “shadow fleet” vessels and Georgia-linked supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Foreign Office has said.

Two oil tankers have been targeted for transporting Russian oil to the Georgian port of Batumi, and will now be barred from entering UK ports and will be refused access to the UK Ship Register.

Georgian politician and media mogul Levan Vasadze has been sanctioned for using his platforms to promote pro-Russian disinformation as well as businessman Otar Partskhaladze, who allegedly has extensive links to Russia and to the highest levels of the Georgian Dream party, the department said.

Businesses Aeza International, which provides internet services to Russian disinformation campaigns, and HeliCo Group, which operates in Russia’s transport industry, have also been newly designated, the Foreign Office said.

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said: “Putin’s war machine relies on an international web to spread lies and fund this network. We’re cutting off another lifeline by targeting and deterring those in Georgia who provide support for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

“The Kremlin must be in no doubt: the UK will continue to expose the shadowy networks propping up Putin.”

Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes on Friday, Estonia’s government said in a statement.

European Council bosses have outlined eight countries they believe to still be importing Russian gas amid their announcement over a fresh package of sanctions on Russia.

EU energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain are all still importing Russian gas via pipelines or LNG (liquefied natural gas).

It comes as US president Donald Trump puts pressure on EU countries to sever all ties with Russian oil and gas.

As part of the proposed 19th sanctions package, the EU has also suggested a sanction on those “abducting and indoctrinating” Ukrainian children.

It comes after a report found some 210 sites where Ukrainian children are believed to have been taken for military training by Russia.

Researchers at Yale’s School of Public Health estimated Russia had illegally deported or forcibly displaced around 35,000 children to Russia and Belarus.

Next, we’ll take a look at the financial and economic sanctions Russia could face if this fresh set of sanctions are approved.

For the first time, these involve transaction bans on cryptocurrency platforms and crypto-services for Russian nationals.

• A full transaction ban on more Russian banks and their operations in third countries

• A full transaction ban on cryptocurrency platforms as well as restrictions on crypto-services for Russian nationals

• Restriction on the Russian credit card system (MIR) and fast payments system (SBP) EXPORT BANS

• Tighter export controls on an additional 45 Russian and third country entities, including in China and India

• Bans on chemicals, metal components, salts, and ores useful to Russia’s military

• Bans on investment in certain Special Economic Zones in Russia relevant for the war effort with the option to extend to list ports outside Russia used for weapons transfers or the shadow fleet

• Bans on high-tech services including geospatial information, AI, and high-performance computing

• Restrictions related to tourism in Russia

The EU has given more detail on its proposed 19th sanctions package aimed at curbing Russia’s economic might.

First up, we’ll take a look at the energy measures announced.

• A ban on Russian liquefied natural gas from 1 January, 2027, bringing forward the date from 1 January, 2028 that was proposed to member states via other legal texts

• The EU banned trans-shipments of Russian LNG (liquefied natural gas) in a previous package

• The EU will list 118 new vessels in Moscow’s shadow fleet, bringing the total to over 560

• Ban on re-insuring listed vessels and reinsurance for used Russian aircraft

• Ends exemptions for Russian oil companies Rosneft and Gazpromneft

• List oil traders, refineries and petrochemical companies in third countries that breach sanctions including in China

Member states will now have to discuss the package before adopting it unanimously.

Debris from a missile likely used to shoot down Russian drones in Poland has been found over a week after Moscow violated Warsaw’s airspace.

Polish military police reported on Thursday missile fragments, likely from a weapon used to shoot down a drone, were discovered in the village of Choiny, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Lublin and 70 kilometres (40 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

They added forensic investigations are underway.

Ukraine has been the receipt of millions of dollars worth of military aid from countries across the world – and particularly those in the European Union.

But allies are also using a different strategy to support the besieged country – invest ing billions in Ukraine’s weapons industry so it can better defend itself.

Ukraine’s weapons industry now meets nearly 60% of its army’s needs, up from 10% when Russia’s full-scale invasion began 3 1/2 years ago, according to its defence minister.

But its military budget — $64 billion in 2024 — is less than half the size of Russia’s, which is why it turns to Western allies for weapons and, increasingly, money.

British spy chief Sir Richard Moore has said Putin’s claims Russian victory in Ukraine is “inevitable” are “lies”.

Speaking at the British consulate in Istanbul on Friday, Sir Richard said the Russian leader was “mortgaging his country’s future for his own personal legacy and a distorted version of history” and that the war was “accelerating this decline”.

“Bluntly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew,” he said. “He thought he was going to win an easy victory. But he – and many others – underestimated the Ukrainians.”