NATO interceptors were scrambled again this week in response to Russian fighter jets detected over the Baltic Sea, according to the defence alliance.
Hungarian fighter jets were deployed to identify and accompany five military aircraft near NATO airspace off the coast of Latvia, the responsible NATO Allied Air Command reported late on Thursday.
The detected formation involved three MiG-31 aircraft, a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Sukhoi Su-35 which were “not complying with international flight safety regulations,” the air command wrote in a Facebook post.
Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds said the interception highlighted NATO’s enhanced and proactive stance. Recent Russian airspace violations have raised concerns among allies.
A NATO flag flies during the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels. Daniel Naupold/dpa
