NATO fighters were scrambled to intercept two Russian aircraft near Latvia
NATO fighter jets patrolling Baltic State airspace identified and intercepted two Russian military aircraft, the Latvian Armed Forces reported on Twitter. “On the 5th of July, fighter jets serving in the Alliance’s air policing mission identified AN-26 and TU-134 aircraft belonging to the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea near Latvian borders,” the report said.
Russian warships and military aircraft have been increasingly spotted near the air and sea borders of the Baltic States since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine and the deterioration of relations between the West and Russia. In 2015, Russian military aircraft were detected near Latvian borders more than 270 times. While they haven’t violated the air space and territorial waters of the Baltic States, the aircraft may pose a threat to civil aviation.
The Baltic States and the United Kingdom repeatedly stated that Russia frequently makes shows of force and tests NATO’s reactions by flying near their borders.