NATO jets intercept Russian bombers over Baltic Sea
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces deployed a number of jets to intercept Russian bombers and fighter jets flying over the Baltic Sea in an impressive display of power on Monday.
French Rafales took off from a Lithuanian air base and joined fighter jets from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Romania to intercept the hostile jets; however, no aerial engagement occurred as Russian jets remained in airspace over neutral waters.
The French detachment, stationed in Lithuania as part of the NATO’s air policing effort, said their jets kept watch over Russian aircraft, adding, “The Russian mission included 10 fighter jets taking turns in escorting two supersonic Tu-22M3s.”
In a statement on Telegram, the Russian Defence Ministry said that the flight of their bombers was over four hours long and it occurred in neutral airspace.
The ministry said: “All flights of Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace.”
It added that their aircraft regularly conduct flights in international airspace over the Baltic and Black Seas and the Pacific, the Arctic and the North Atlantic Ocean.
NATO’s muscular display of airpower comes after the United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump described the alliance as a “paper tiger” due to its refusal to take part in the U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran.
The incident comes just a week after the British Royal Air Force jets were scrambled to intercept unidentified aircraft approaching the British airspace. However, no interception took place as the jet remained outside UK airspace.
