Tension Climbs in the Baltic Sea: Russian Jets Fly Near German Frigate
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has accused russia of deliberately provoking NATO allies with recent military activity in the Baltic Sea.Speaking during budget discussions in the German Federal Assembly concerning the 2026 defense budget and the war in Ukraine, Pistorius stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to exploit vulnerabilities and escalate tensions.
The comments followed reports of Russian aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs) and warplanes, operating near a German frigate in the Baltic Sea. Pistorius emphasized that while NATO is responding firmly to these actions, it is indeed crucial to avoid escalating the situation further. “We give a clear response to russian behavior, but we do not create a panic atmosphere. We do not fall into the trap of climbing the tension,” he stated. He highlighted that the proximity of Russian aircraft to the German vessel demonstrates a clear pattern of provocative behavior.
Pistorius also advocated for a substantial increase in Germany’s defense budget, citing growing geopolitical risks.
According to the German news agency (DPA), the incidents involving Russian warplanes near the German navy frigate occured last weekend.
The recent activity is part of a broader pattern of airspace violations. Poland reported a UAV incursion on September 9th, prompting a NATO response. Romanian airspace was subsequently identified as being breached by a Russian UAV. Most recently, on September 19th, Russian jets violated Estonian airspace, and were intercepted by NATO forces.
lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has called for the deployment of spanish Eurofighter warplanes stationed in the region to address potential further violations of airspace by Russian UAVs.
