Germany’s Air Force identified a Russian spy plane, leading NATO to deploy jets for the third day running as Putin continues to escalate his brinkmanship with the west
NATO has scrambled jets for the third time in as many days after another Russian plane strayed into its territory.
The military pact was forced to respond to a reported spy plane sighting over the Baltic Sea today after the aircraft appeared to be drifting without a detailed flight plan.
According to the German Delegation to NATO, the aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-20M, a Soviet-era plane bristling with intelligence gear, including radar, signals intelligence and electronic warfare systems.
The planes are typically deployed to track communications and air defences, and the one detected this weekend had reportedly lifted off from Russia before entering international airspace, but without establishing any communication.
At the same time, the aircraft was also said to have failed to make visual identification, the only remaining way to confirm its presence.
The Bundeswehr, the German Air Force, initially identified the plane, before handing off the escort to Swedish NATO partners.
The interception and escort is the third in as many days involving NATO aircraft, with Vladimir Putin’s regime seemingly testing the military pact’s resolve.
On Friday, Russian MiG jets flew into Estonian territory, leading to both a NATO response and a request from the country’s government to activate Article 4 defence provisions for the second time this month.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said the alliance’s response to the provocation “must be united and strong”.
He added: “We consider it essential to consult with our allies to ensure shared situational awareness and to agree on our next joint steps.”
On Saturday, Poland responded to a Russian drone incursion following a major assault on Ukraine that saw nearly every region of the country placed on high alert and RAF jets called in.
Nearly 20 drones landed in Poland, according to national authorities, with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying in an update that this was “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two”.
The incursions have been strongly condemned by European leaders and Donald Trump, who, following the incident over Estonia, said: “I don’t love it. I don’t like when that happens. Could be big trouble.”