logo
Finland summons Russian diplomat after suspected airspace violation

Finland summons Russian diplomat after suspected airspace violation

Finland's defence minister Antti Hakkanen said an investigation into yesterday's incident has been launched. (AFP pic)
HELSINKI: Finland on Wednesday summoned Russia's charge d'affaires for talks, a day after a Russian military aircraft was suspected of violating Finnish airspace, the foreign ministry told AFP.
Finland's defence ministry said on Tuesday that it believed a Russian military aircraft had violated Finnish airspace off the coast of Porvoo, east of the capital Helsinki.
The foreign ministry said it would provide more details after the talks.
The incident came only weeks after a similar incident, which was also followed by a summoning of Russia's diplomatic representative.
Finland, which joined Nato in 2023 after Moscow's fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine a year earlier, shares a 1,340km border with Russia.
'An investigation into the alleged violation of airspace was launched immediately,' defence minister Antti Hakkanen said of Tuesday's incident, adding that the coast guard would head the inquiry.
Moscow has repeatedly warned Finland of possible repercussions over its decision to join Nato, amid heightened tensions.
Hakkanen told AFP in mid-May that Finland was 'closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions'.
He was commenting after the New York Times published satellite images appearing to show an expansion of Russian military infrastructure near the border.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Malaysia, Turkiye reaffirm commitment to defence ties
Malaysia, Turkiye reaffirm commitment to defence ties

New Straits Times

time8 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Malaysia, Turkiye reaffirm commitment to defence ties

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence ties following Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin's official three-day visit to the 17th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul. The Defence Ministry, in a statement today, said Khaled, who led the Malaysian delegation from July 23, held a series of high-level meetings aimed at deepening military cooperation, technology sharing, and joint industrial efforts. "Among his key engagements was a courtesy call on Prof Haluk Görgün, Türkiye's Defence Industries Agency (SSB) president, where he was briefed on the SSB's pivotal role in developing Türkiye's defence sector into one of the world's leading players," it said. The ministry said Khaled also witnessed the handing over of participation contracts to Malaysian firms involved in the upcoming Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2026 exhibition, scheduled at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) here from April 20 to 23. "Khaled then held a bilateral meeting with Azerbaijan's Minister of Defence Industry, Yugar Mustafayev, where both sides discussed opportunities for collaboration in defence technology, military training, and the exchange of expertise." The ministry said the meeting also marked efforts to expand strategic defence partnerships between Malaysia and Azerbaijan. The Minister also met Türkiye's National Defence Minister, Yaşar Güler, who agreed to further elevate military-to-military cooperation, including joint capacity-building, information exchange, and collaboration in defence science and technology with Malaysia. On the second day of the visit, Khaled visited the Istanbul Shipyard to inspect progress on the Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) being built for the Royal Malaysian Navy. "The vessel is expected to be launched in mid-2026 and delivered by the end of 2027. Once commissioned, it will bolster the country's maritime defence and coastal surveillance operations," it read, adding that the entourage also visited defence companies including Turkish Aerospace Industries (Tusas), Aselsan, Dasal, Otokar, Ctech, Asfat, Ares Shipyard and Esen. The visit, part of Malaysia's strategic defence diplomacy agenda, reflects the government's continued efforts to build credible international partnerships under the Defence White Paper's third pillar of cooperation, 'Credible Partnerships'. These engagements underscore Malaysia's position in enhancing global defence cooperation to ensure national security and regional stability.

Junta retakes gold mining hub
Junta retakes gold mining hub

The Star

time18 hours ago

  • The Star

Junta retakes gold mining hub

The nation's junta claimed to have ousted anti-coup rebels from a gold mining hub after a year-long battle, its second declared recapture of a key town in a week. A civil war has consumed Myanmar since a 2021 coup deposed the civilian government, with the military battling a myriad of pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic armed organisations. Scattered anti-coup forces initially struggled to make headway, but won a string of stunning victories – mostly in the north – when many banded together for a coordinated offensive starting late 2023. This year, the junta's China and Russia-backed forces have clawed back ground on the northern front and state media said its soldiers managed 'to fully retake' the town of Thabeikkyin on Wednesday. Thabeikkyin is about 100km north of the second most populous city of Mandalay and a lucrative hive of gold mining. State mouthpiece The Global New Light of Myanmar said an anti-coup alliance attacked Thabeikkyin with 'overwhelming strength' last August, but its counter-offensive retook the town after 17 major battles. The junta last Thursday said it had recaptured the north-eastern town of Nawnghkio on another key highway towards Mandalay city, fending allied rebels back into the fringes of the country. Earlier this week, guerrillas said they ambushed a junta flotilla of five ships sailing up the Irrawaddy River north of Mandalay – another apparent sign of the military's renewed regional offensive. With control of Thabeikkyin and Nawnghkio, junta forces control two flanks of the town of Mogok – the renowned centre of Myanmar's ruby mining industry which rebel forces claimed last summer. Mines excavating precious metals, gemstones and rare earth elements are coveted by all factions in Myanmar's civil war, allowing them to fill their coffers and fund their offensives. Some 3.5 million people are living displaced amid the war, according to the United Nations, while more than half the nation of around 50 million now lives in poverty. — AFP

PLKN 3.0 absenteeism addressed via awareness, not enforcement
PLKN 3.0 absenteeism addressed via awareness, not enforcement

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

PLKN 3.0 absenteeism addressed via awareness, not enforcement

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry is taking a proactive approach to tackle absenteeism among National Service Training Programme 3.0 (PLKN 3.0) participants, emphasising awareness and engagement rather than enforcement. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari stated that health concerns, academic commitments, and work responsibilities are common reasons cited by absentees, and the ministry is working closely with them to resolve these issues. Adly explained that PLKN 3.0 is designed to be flexible, allowing participants to join based on their readiness. 'For example, in the second series of PLKN 3.0, some of those who were absent have expressed readiness to take part in the third series. We are adopting an awareness-based approach and working to resolve the related issues,' he said during a Dewan Rakyat session. He stressed that enforcement under the National Service Training Act would only be a last resort. 'The approach of using the Act is a last resort. As long as we can still have discussions and raise awareness, I believe that should be our priority,' Adly added. To date, two training series have been conducted, involving 560 trainees out of the targeted 1,200 for 2025. The third series, scheduled for September, is expected to include 640 participants. Separately, Adly addressed a query on employment opportunities for Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans with the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), confirming that discussions with the Home Ministry are ongoing. The Defence Ministry aims to involve at least 30 per cent of MAF veterans in the defence industry to support their welfare. - Bernama

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store