NATO fighters intercepted three Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea
Fighters of NATO’s air defense mission in the Baltic states have intercepted three Russian military aircraft near the Latvian borders. This was reported by the Latvian National Armed Forces via Twitter.
“On the 14th of June, jets patrolling the airspace of the Baltic states intercepted two Russian Su-27 aircraft and one AN-26 aircraft near the borders of Latvia. The jets then escorted them over the Baltic Sea,” the tweet said.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and the subsequent tense relations between the West and Russia, Russian military ships and aircraft are increasingly being identified close to the air and maritime borders of the Baltic states.
In 2015, Russian military aircraft were identified 270 times near the Latvian borders.
Even though Russia does not violate the air and sea border regulations of these states, their aircraft represent a real threat to civil aviation.
The Baltic states and the UK have repeatedly stated that these flights are a demonstration of Russia’s powers and a way to test NATO’s response to their actions.