Finland's Ministry of Defense said a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft is suspected of violating Finnish airspace over the western Gulf of Finland on the afternoon of August 20, 2026. The Finnish Border Guard subsequently identified the aircraft involved in the incident.
According to a statement issued by the Border Guard on August 21, 2026, the suspected territorial violation lasted approximately three minutes. The aircraft reached a maximum depth of about 4.7 nautical miles, or just under nine kilometers, inside Finnish territory south of Utö island.
Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen stated that all suspected territorial violations are taken seriously and an investigation is underway. The Finnish Border Guard has launched a preliminary investigation and will release its findings once completed.
