Russian Su-30 aircraft equipped with Kh-31 supersonic anti-radiation missiles were met by NATO fighter jets over the southern Baltic Sea as fears for escalation grow
Fighter jets from NATO saw off two Russian combat planes carrying missiles in the latest round of brinksmanship amid fears of World War Three.
The Russian Su-30 aircraft were equipped with Kh-31 supersonic anti-radiation missiles capable of Mach 3 speeds and designed to neutralise radar-equipped ships and air defences, heightened regional alertness. They were intercepted by NATO planes over the southern Baltic Sea, as the alliance strengthened defences against Moscow’s provocations during joint war games with Belarus.
Danish F-16s supported the Swedish Air Force’s JAS 39 Gripen fighters who identified the Su-30SM and Su-30SM2 jets from Russia’s Baltic Fleet flying without transponders or flight plans in international airspace on Sunday.
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The Kh-31 missiles, with a range of up to 110km, pose a significant threat to naval and air defence systems, prompting a rapid Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) response. An Il-20M signals intelligence aircraft, used for electronic and communications reconnaissance to monitor NATO networks, was also escorted away without incident.
The Swedish Armed Forces, posting on social media, emphasised routine NATO air policing duties, adding: “The Swedish Air Force is always on alert.”
The incident marked the second interception in a week, with Gripens scrambling on September 12 to track similar Russian formations, including an Su-35, amid heightened vigilance across the Baltic region.
The encounters occurred during Russia’s Zapad-2025 exercises with Belarus, concluding on Tuesday after five days of simulated combat near Poland’s border. Involving 20,000 troops, Iskander ballistic missiles, and tactical nuclear simulations, the drills tested hypersonic Oreshnik strikes and amphibious assaults, unnerving NATO’s eastern flank.
Vladimir Putin, in military uniform, described the manoeuvres as defensive against “Western aggression,” while Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko hosted observers from the US, India, and other nations, highlighting complex global alignments.
Poland, perceiving the exercises as a direct threat, sealed its 418-mile border with Belarus on September 12, citing risks of hybrid warfare, including orchestrated migrant flows.
The closure disrupted a £21 billion China-EU rail corridor, stranding thousands of tonnes of cargo and underscoring economic fallout from geopolitical tensions. Warsaw deployed 40,000 troops and authorised NATO’s “Eastern Sentry” mission, which includes Danish F-16s, French Rafales, and German Eurofighters patrolling Baltic skies.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Europe is “closer to open conflict” than at any point since World War II, labelling Zapad-2025 “highly aggressive”.
Recent airspace violations amplified concerns. On September 9, up to 23 Russian drones breached Polish territory, followed by incursions over Romania on September 13 and a drone crash in Latvia.
A civilian drone over Warsaw’s presidential palace on Monday was condemned as a “provocation.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported more than 3,500 Russian drones and 200 missiles targeting Ukraine in the prior two weeks, urging NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over civilian areas to deter further aggression.
Military analysts view Putin’s actions as calculated intimidation, leveraging Belarus – now hosting Russian tactical nuclear weapons – to test NATO resolve.
Retired British Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said: “We’ve given the impression we’re unconcerned. We must show resolve, or he’ll keep pushing.” NATO’s air policing, averaging 300 intercepts annually before 2022, has surged fourfold since Russia’s Ukraine invasion, said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
He added: “These are responses to unlawful flights,” he stressed. Poland’s IronDefender25 counter-drills, involving 30,000 troops, aim to enhance interoperability amid persistent risks.
The Baltic interceptions reflect NATO’s shift from post-Cold War complacency to robust deterrence. With Ukraine’s war nearing its fourth year, Eastern Europe’s skies remain a flashpoint where routine patrols could escalate into crisis.