NATO fighter jets scrambled over Russian warplanes

​​​​​​​By Merve Berker

BRUSSELS (AA) - NATO warplanes on Monday scrambled 10 times in the face of “unusual activities” of Russian warplanes in the North Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and North Atlantic region, according to NATO.

The NATO planes – including Turkish planes over the Black Sea – took off after "unusual" flights by Russian bombers and warplanes were detected, according to a NATO statement on Tuesday.

“Intercepting multiple groups of Russian aircraft demonstrates NATO forces' readiness and capability to guard Allied skies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year," said Brig. Gen. Andrew Hansen, deputy chief of staff operations at Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany.

Six different groups of Russian military aircraft were intercepted near the alliance's airspace in less than six hours.

Over the Black Sea, three Russian military aircraft were detected by NATO radar, and warplanes belonging to Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria were scrambled in response.

The planes followed the Russian planes until they left the area.

Off the coast of Norway, Norwegian F-16s took off to shadow Russian Tu-160 aircraft and two TU-95 bombers.

Typhoon and F-16 aircraft from Belgium and Britain were also scrambled.

Italian warplanes also intercepted Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft flying around the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea.

The statement said Russian military aircraft generally failed to transmit transponder codes indicating their position and altitude, offered no flight plans, and did not communicate with air traffic controllers, thus posing a danger to civilian aircraft.

The Russian aircraft did not enter NATO airspace, the statement said, calling the interceptions safe and routine.