LONDON: British Royal Air Force fighter jets were twice scrambled over the course of 24 hours to intercept Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace, the Ministry of Defence in London said on Friday.

RAF Typhoons based in Estonia and Swedish Gripen fighters were on Thursday evening scrambled to “intercept” a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft and a Su-27 fighter jet “flying close to Nato and Swedish airspace”, the ministry said.

The Russian aircraft “were not complying with international norms by failing to communicate with the relevant Flight Information Regions (FIRs)” but “remained in international airspace and flew in a professional manner”, it added.

On Friday, Typhoons were scrambled again to intercept two Russian transport aircraft flying south from mainland Russia towards Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave wedged between Nato members Poland and Lithuania. The Typhoons were later “re-tasked to intercept” two Tupolev Tu-22M bombers and two Su-30 fighter aircraft, also flying south from Russia.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2023