NATO Scrambles Jets After Russian Refueling Aircraft Flies Over Baltic Sea

Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian Il-78 refueling aircraft after it entered the Baltic Sea.

MOSCOW, January 30 (Sputnik) — NATO fighter jets have been deployed to intercept a Russian refueling aircraft over the Baltic Sea, Latvian military officials announced on Friday.

NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ITA Typhoon jets on 30 JAN scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-78 over the Baltic Sea.

— NBS (@Latvijas_armija) January 30, 2015

The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on the incident.

On Thursday, alleged Russian bombers were seen flying over British airspace on its southern coast, leading the Royal Air Force (RAF) to dispatch two jets in response, the Daily Mail reported.

"Flying any military aircraft in or close to the sovereign airspace of another country signals displeasure or at worst aggression," defense watchdog Royal United Services Institute spokeswoman Elizabeth Quintana was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

According to her, the bombers did not violate British airspace, but did diverge from their standard route.

Russia's ambassador to Britain, Aleksandr Yakovenko then said that Russian Air Force flights over the English Channel complied with international law and cannot be considered threatening or destabilizing.