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| British Typhoon Fighter Jets Intercept 3 Russian Military Aircraft Near NATO Countries |
International Military - Several British Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets intercepted three Russian military aircraft maneuvering near the airspace of Estonia, a NATO country in Eastern Europe. "RAF Typhoons of the 140th Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) in Estonia aimed to intercept Russian Tu-134s and 2 Su-27 Flanker Bs flying near NATO airspace," the RAF said on Wednesday on Twitter.
"The Russian aircraft failed to comply with international norms by not engaging with any regional airspace control agency," the RAF continued.
The Russian Tu-134 is a Soviet-era twin-engine jet aircraft and the Su-27 is a Russian-made twin-engine air superiority fighter renowned for its outstanding maneuverability and advanced air combat capabilities.
British RAF shared this image of Typhoon fighter jets closely following Russian planes. It said the photos of the fighter jet were clear enough to see the words "Baltic Fleet" scrawled on the side of the Russian Tupolev Tu-134 in antique Cyrillic font.
The British RAF said that for the third week in a row, its fighter jets had been deployed to intercept Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace.
On June 14, Typhoon fighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian Air Force Ilyushin Il-20 Coot-A and two Su-27 Flanker B fighter jets flying near NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea.
Earlier this month, RAF Typhoon fighter jets also intercepted several Russian aircraft twice in less than 24 hours. On June 9, Typhoon fighter jets shot down to intercept the AN12 "CUB" and AN72 "COALER" aircraft traveling south from mainland Russia towards the Kaliningrad Oblast.
On June 8, British Typhoon fighter jets and Swedish Air Force Gripen fighter jets were dispatched to intercept a Russian Air Force spy plane, which was escorted by Sukhoi Su-27 fighters flying near NATO and Swedish airspace.
Escalating tensions between Russia and NATO, against the backdrop of Moscow's war in Ukraine, have led to an increasing number of Russian military aircraft being intercepted while flying near NATO airspace over the Baltic region. These confrontations have become a recurring pattern, as Russian military aircraft frequently approach or enter the airspace of NATO member states, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
This incident underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and NATO, highlighting the importance of maintaining vigilant defensive measures and ensuring the security of NATO airspace in the Baltic region.