Lieutenant General Andrus Merilo said that shooting down Russian fighters would have been a strategic mistake. Many allies would not have understood this step. If Russia crosses the border and NATO needs to use force, NATO will do so decisively.
On September 19, three Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace without permission. The aircraft were there for nearly 12 minutes. They were monitored by Finnish, Italian, and Swedish fighter jets. Merilo said that necessary procedures were carried out and a basis for diplomatic processes was established.
Merilo disagreed that this was a test by Russia. He said that Russia views us the same way we view them. Russia does not need to test us. This was rather a step of escalation intended to draw greater attention.
Merilo said that the Russian fighters were in Estonian airspace for too long. He called Russia's actions foolish and dangerous. Playing with such escalation is irresponsible. To protect our people, we are prepared to use lethal force.
The weapons of the Russian fighters were known, but they were not intended for destroying ground targets. Modern weapon systems are very powerful. In Estonia, aircraft do not even need to come from Russia to destroy targets. Therefore, there was no immediate threat, and the aircraft were not shot down.
If force needs to be used, the decision should be made by NATO. The commander of the Estonian Defense Forces does not have such authority. The threat assessment in Estonia has not changed. The risk of a conventional military attack has not increased.
Russia is bogged down in Ukraine and does not have the resources to launch another military operation. The threat assessment is constantly changing because we see various activities in Europe. This is a normal process. We should not be afraid but should prepare.
If the situation becomes even more dangerous, NATO may change the air policing mission to an air defense mission. We must be ready to use force decisively and eliminate the threat as early as possible.