World

Belgian Air Force Says F-16 Jet Intercepted Russian Planes Over Baltics (VIDEO)

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The Belgian Air Force said that its F-16 Fighting Falcon jet, which was deployed in the Baltics, had been scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft allegedly flying without a flight plan in the area.
Sputnik

"Yesterday, #F16 @beairforce, currently deployed in the #Baltic Region to safeguard the integrity of @NATO airspace, intercepted #Russian Flanker Jets flying w/o flight plan," the Belgian Air Force wrote on Twitter late on Wednesday.

The incident followed a reported flight of two Russian Su-24 Fencer bombers over a Belgian Navy ship in the Baltic Sea area last Thursday.

The Russian Armed Forces, in their turn, repeatedly report about foreign reconnaissance aircraft attempting to cross into the Russian airspace.

READ MORE: Belgian F-16 Incident May Be Caused by Accidental Firing From Jet — Reports

In late October, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russian jets had been scrambled over 120 times since the beginning of the year to prevent foreign aircraft from illegally entering the Russian airspace.

Moscow has repeatedly said that its military aircraft always conduct their flights in accordance with international law and avoid illegally crossing other states' borders.

Discuss