ÄMARI AIR BASE, Estonia— Just minutes after NATO radars detected three Russian MiG-31 aircraft with transponders turned off heading toward the Estonian border on Friday, alarms sounded at this wooded air base about 40 minutes outside Tallinn. Italian airmen scrambled to their F-35s to intercept the Russian jets, taking over for Finnish aircraft that were already aloft. Twelve minutes later, the Italians escorted the MiGs out of Estonian airspace toward Kaliningrad.

Col. Gaetano Farina, commander of Italy’s Air 32nd Wing, told reporters Wednesday the incident was more significant than his unit’s similar interception in August . The most recent incursion occurred over land, with the Russians appearing to head toward Tallinn, intentions unknown. The MiGs weren’t carrying bombs—a critical

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