BRUSSELS: NATO air forces were scrambled more than 300 times in answer to Russian military aircraft in 2023, the treaty organisation said on Friday (Dec 29).
“The great majority of aerial encounters between NATO and Russian jets were safe and professional. Breaches of NATO airspace by Russian military aircraft remained rare and usually of short duration,” NATO said, adding most intercepts occurred over the Baltic Sea.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, NATO greatly reinforced its eastern flank air defences with more fighter planes, surveillance flights and ground-based air defences.
“NATO fighter jets are on duty around the clock, ready to scramble in case of suspicious or unannounced flights near the airspace of our Allies,” NATO spokesman Dylan White said in a statement.
Earlier on Friday, Russia launched one of its biggest missile attacks on Ukraine of the war so far, killing 12 civilians, wounding dozens more and hitting private buildings in Kyiv, the south and west of the country.