UK fighter jets intercept Russian planes near NATO airspace twice

The UK Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets intercepted Russian planes approaching NATO airspace twice within 24 hours. Source: the UK Foreign Ministry Last night, Royal Air Force Typhoons based in Estonia and Swedish Air Force scrambled to intercept Russian Air Force IL-20 and Su-27 aircraft flying close to NATO and Swedish airspace.

On the morning of 9 June, Typhoons were raised to intercept an AN12 aircraft and an AN72 aircraft, which were headed from the Russian mainland toward Kaliningrad Oblast. Later, the fighter jets received a new task to intercept two Tu-22M and two Su-30SM, flying south from the Russian mainland over the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea.

Portuguese and Romanian F-16 fighter jets, based at the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, were also taken to the air to escort the Russian planes. "These intercepts are a stark reminder that the RAF is always ready to defend our skies and those of our allies, while the coordinated action by several air forces serves as a clear demonstration of the value of our international alliances," Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, said.

Background: Squadron destroyer HMS Defender was monitoring a group of three Russian Federation warships that approached the UK's territorial waters.

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