26-05-2025
Finland summons Russian ambassador over alleged air breach
Finland summoned Russia's ambassador on Monday after two Russian military aircraft allegedly violated Finnish airspace near the southern coast last week.
The incident has ramped up rising tensions as Helsinki deepens its NATO integration and bolsters defenses against potential threats along its shared border with Russia.
The suspected breach was off the coast of Porvoo, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Helsinki, and is under investigation by Finnish authorities.
The country's defense ministry first reported the incident on Friday.
"The foreign ministry of Finland has today summoned the ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace," the ministry said in a post on X.
The Foreign Ministry of Finland has today summoned the Ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace.
— MFA Finland 🇫🇮 (@Ulkoministerio) May 26, 2025
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia. Since joining the alliance, Helsinki has warned of increased security threats and has pledged to boost defense readiness.
Moscow has repeatedly criticized Finland's accession to NATO and warned of repercussions.
Last week, Finland's Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen told the AFP news agency the country was "closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions."
That followed satellite images published by the New York Times indicating expanded Russian military infrastructure near the border.
Hakkanen said Russia's moves to strengthen its armed forces in the area were "not a surprise to Finland." In April, Finland announced plans to raise defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 and restructure its military to respond to evolving threats.
The news came as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Finland to attend a summit with the prime ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
Edited by Wesley Dockery
