NATO fighter jets were scrambled on Monday, April 20, 2026, to intercept a significant group of Russian military aircraft flying near the alliance’s eastern flank.
The operation involved a coordinated response from six nations including France, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Romania.
The French military contingent currently based in Lithuania confirmed that the Russian group included two Tu-22M3 supersonic strategic bombers escorted by approximately ten Su-30 and Su-35 fighter jets.
NATO pilots took to the skies to identify and monitor the aircraft which often fly without active transponders or filed flight plans.
Russia’s Defense Ministry downplayed the encounter stating the four-hour mission was a pre-planned exercise over neutral waters.
In an official statement, the ministry noted that “at certain stages of the route, the long-range bombers were accompanied by fighter of foreign states.”
They further maintained that “all flights of Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace.”
While such intercepts are routine for the Baltic Air Policing mission, the size of this specific Russian formation marked a notable display of aerial activity in the region.
