Zakharova declined to specify which of Russia's deputy prime ministers was on board the aircraft in question.

The Russian ministry spokesperson made the remark in connection with Estonia's refusal to allow into its waters the Russian research vessel Aakdemik Primakov. Estonia had allowed the vessel into its waters on two previous occasions this year, making the refusal without explanation "extremely perplexing."

Estonia has not commented on its refusal.

"Yet this is the third time Tallinn has refused entry to Russian ships and aircraft as of late," Zakharova continued. "In early October, an airplane carrying a deputy prime minister was not allowed to fly across Estonia; in April, the Russian training vessel Sedov was denied entry into the territorial waters of the Republic of Estonia. We have made a note of these unfriendly demarches; we will take them into account when building bilateral relations with Estonia."

Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in April that the Sedov was denied entry to Estonian territorial waters was because there were cadets from the Kerch State Maritime Technological University on board, which is located in the occupied Crimea.

"Estonia does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea, and we believe that issuing a permit to the training vessel would have contradicted the policy of not recognizing the annexation of Crimea," ministry spokesperson Sandra Kamilova told daily Postimees.

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