Spain's media has released a number of images showing Spanish Air Force Typhoons together with some Russian Air Force planes up in the sky.
The outlets claim they were taken over the Baltic Sea while the country’s Air Force was there on a Baltic Air Policing Mission.
On January 2, NATO rotated its air policing mission in the Baltic, with the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana — AMI) assuming the lead.
For the next four months, four AMI Eurofighter Typhoons led the mission out of Siauliai Airbase in Lithuania. Those were supported at the same location by four Polish MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighters, as well as by four Spanish Typhoons at Amari Airbase in Estonia and four Belgian Lockheed Martin F-16s at Malbork in Poland.
As of May 1, Norway will assume lead responsibility for the mission.
The United Kingdom will also rejoin the mission, while Italy and Belgium will continue their participation.
A handover ceremony is taking place on Thursday (April 30) at Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania, where Italy will formally transfer its lead.
Until the end of August, Norway will lead the mission from Šiauliai airbase with four F-16 aircraft. They will be joined at the same location by four Italian Euro-fighter aircraft. Four British Euro-fighter aircraft will be based at Ämari airbase in Estonia, while Belgium will provide four F-16 jets based at Malbork airbase in Poland.
NATO has been protecting the Baltic skies since 2004, when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the alliance. The mission helps NATO’s Baltic allies, who do not have fighter aircraft of their own to guard their airspace.
From the Russian side, the country’s jets are conducting their flights in strict accordance with international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters, according to Russian Defense Ministry.
