Czech President Petr Pavel called on NATO countries to shoot down Russian military aircraft if they violate the airspace of alliance members. He made this statement on September 20, 2025, as reported by the Czech news outlet Novinky.

According to Pavel, such incidents, including the recent ones over Estonia, significantly exacerbate tensions in Europe. He believes that allies must respond appropriately, "including militarily," to send a clear signal to Russia that such provocations are unacceptable.

"I'm forced to call this extremely irresponsible behavior, because violating airspace is grounds for activating defense mechanisms and, consequently, destroying such an aircraft. And no one, either on our side or the Russian side, would want that.", the president stressed.

The statement comes amid concern in Eastern European countries bordering Russia following several incidents involving Russian aircraft.