"NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ITA Typhoon jets on 6 FEB scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-38 over the Baltic Sea," the Latvian Army tweeted.
NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ITA Typhoon jets on 6 FEB scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-38 over the Baltic Sea.
— NBS (@Latvijas_armija) 6 февраля 2015
In a similar incident, the Latvian military scrambled NATO Typhoons on Tuesday to escort a Russian Il-76 military transport plane flying in neutral airspace.
There was no indication that either of the planes entered Latvian airspace. The Russian Defense Ministry stressed all patrol missions were routine and did not violate foreign airspace.
In response, the Russian Air Force command said these allegations distract public attention from the increased NATO military presence in the Baltic and along western Russian borders.
The Tuesday scramble was announced a day after the US Defense Department unveiled a plan to disburse $4.5 million in funds for a US-sponsored Baltic air policing initiative.
