In what’s becoming the geopolitical version of whack-a-mole, NATO jets scrambled this week to intercept three Russian aircraft that decided Estonian airspace looked like a fun place to stretch their wings. Officials described the encounter as “routine,” which is bureaucratic code for we almost had World War III, again.
The Russian pilots, apparently allergic to filing flight plans, were escorted out with the stern politeness of nightclub bouncers asking drunk regulars to leave, again. NATO stressed that the alliance is always ready to defend its members, even if that means endlessly babysitting Russia’s hobby of “oops, we wandered over the border.”
Estonia, meanwhile, has learned to take these intrusions in stride, treating them as free airshows with a mild chance of Armageddon. NATO commanders assure the public that “there was no immediate danger,” a phrase which, in practice, translates to: check back tomorrow.
