NATO intercepts Russian jets over Baltic Sea

October 22, 2014 01:47

NATO scrambled fighter jets twice in two days to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, it said today amid reports that Russian military activity in the region is increasing.

Lt Col Robert Gericke said the Russian aircraft were flying in international airspace and had not violated the territory of alliance members.

Two Canadian F-18 Hornet jets were scrambled from the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania yesterday to intercept a Russian Ilyushin-20 surveillance aircraft, which they shadowed for some 15 minutes, NATO said.

"Once identification was successful, the intercept mission was completed and the two Hornets returned to their base," a NATO statement said.

Earlier, the Latvian military tweeted that NATO F-16 jets were dispatched today to intercept a Russian Ilyushin-20 surveillance aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Gericke confirmed that NATO jets had also intercepted a Russian aircraft that day, but could not immediately provide more details.

NATO, which has 16 fighter jets in the region monitoring Baltic airspace, said it regularly launches jets to identify "unknown or potentially hostile aircraft" in the proximity of national airspace.

There were two similar incidents in the region on Oct. 7 and Sept 11, but on neither occasion did the Russian aircraft constitute a threat to NATO forces, the alliance said.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

SC registry refuses to accept Centre's plea on 2G verdict

The Supreme Court Registry is learnt to have refused to accept the Centre's plea seeking modification of its 2012 verdict in the 2G spectrum case which had said the State was duty bound to adopt the auction route while transferring or...

Wage Pact: Will Bankers Make More Money?

Postings to places at an altitude above 1,000 metres but less than 1,500 metres, between 1,500 and 3,000 metres, and above 3,000 metres entail different rates of allowances -- the higher the location, the bigger the allowance, reveals...

Remembering Ayrton Senna 30 Years On

F1 fans remember Formula One legend Ayrton Senna da Silva on his 30th death anniversary, May 1 2024.

Manufacturing sector activity moderated in April, but...

India's manufacturing sector activity moderated in April, but still recorded the second fastest improvement in operating conditions in three-and-a-half years supported by buoyant demand, a monthly survey said on Thursday.

Delhi Lt Guv sacks 223 DCW employees hired 'without due procedure'

An order was issued to terminate 223 contractual employees of the Delhi Commission of Women after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena gave his nod to a proposal on it, officials said on Thursday.