Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.

Vaindloo island, a tiny rocky outcrop in the Gulf of Finland, is serving as an unlikely barometer for rising tensions between NATO and Russia.

Intrusions into NATO’s airspace blamed on Russia have reached an unprecedented scale, raising questions about whether the Kremlin is trying to test the alliance’s willingness to respond to a direct attack or divert its attention and resources from the war in Ukraine.

Russia has warned that NATO shooting down its aircraft would be a serious escalation that could lead to open war.

A new Danish intelligence assessment blames Russia for employing various 'gray zone' tactics against its forces.

Those recent incursions, including drones into Poland and armed MiG fighter jets into Estonia, have spurred discussions over new steps Nato militaries can take to better deter Russia, including more aggressive responses and deploying more lethal assets on its borders.

The Trump administration expects Europe, not the US, to lead the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), defence secretary Pete Hegseth said, marking an apparent shift in Washington’s stance toward the 76-year transatlantic alliance.

Nato is discussing new rules that could make it easier to shoot down Russian fighter jets. The talks are focused on drawing up a single set of guidelines for engaging enemy aircraft. Defence chiefs want Russian jets carrying ground-attack missiles over allied airspace to be possible targets.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that more firepower is headed to Ukraine, as NATO allies intensify efforts to bolster the country’s defenses against Russia.