NATO says it intercepted Russian jets multiple times near alliance airspace

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - NATO on Friday said its fighter jets stationed around the Baltic and the Black Sea regions intercepted Russian jets near the alliance airspace on several occasions this week.

“NATO fighter jets stationed around the Baltic and Black Seas have scrambled multiple times over the past four days to track and intercept Russian aircraft near Alliance airspace,” NATO said in a statement.

NATO radars have tracked several unidentified aircraft approaching alliance member states' airspace since April 26, it added.

In response, allied fighter jets from Poland, Denmark, France, and Spain in the Baltic region, and Romania and the UK in the Black Sea region, took off to defend NATO’s airspace and investigate the aircraft, according to the statement.

Due to the quick response, the Russian aircraft did not enter NATO airspace, it added.

According to NATO, Russian military aircraft often do not transmit flight information or communicate with air traffic controllers, which can be a potential threat to civilian aviation.

Last year, around 80% of NATO fighter jet missions across Europe were reportedly launched to intercept Russian aircraft.

NATO fighters were scrambled 370 times across Europe in 2021.