PLACES IN NEWS 23rd SEPTEMBER 2025

1. Estonia

Why in the news?

1. Three Russian MIG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island for 12 minutes without filing flight plans or communicating with air traffic services.
2. Estonia summoned a Russian diplomat to protest the violation and decided to invoke NATO’s Article 4, initiating consultations with allies.
3. The incident reflects increasing Russian provocations against NATO countries and underscores Estonia’s strategic role in European security.

About Estonia

1. Political Features:
   1. Estonia is a Baltic country located in Northern Europe.
   2. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Latvia and Lithuania.
   3. The country shares its eastern border with Russia and its southern border with Latvia.
   4. To the north, Estonia is bordered by the Gulf of Finland, and to the west, it opens into the Baltic Sea.
2. Geographic Features:
   1. Approximately 22% of Estonia’s land area is covered by swamps and bogs.
   2. The country’s highest point is Suur Munamagi.
   3. The country’s longest river is the Võhandu River.

2. Baltic Sea

Why in the News?

1. In Sept, 2025, Germany scrambled Eurofighter jets to intercept a Russian IL-20M aircraft that entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea without a flight plan or radio contact.
2. The jets handed over the escort to Swedish NATO forces after visual identification.

About Baltic Sea

1. Location:
   1. The Baltic Sea is located in the North Atlantic region, extending from southern Denmark in the south to near the Arctic Circle in the north.
   2. It is bordered by Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany.
2. Features:
   1. The Baltic Sea is considered the youngest sea on Earth.
   2. It is the largest expanse of brackish water in the world and is semi-enclosed and shallow.
   3. The Kiel Canal in Germany connects the Baltic Sea with the North Sea, facilitating maritime navigation.
   4. Important gulfs of the Baltic Sea include the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the Gulf of Gdańsk.