RAF jets intercept Russian aircraft near Nato airspace

Two Russian aircraft flying close to Nato airspace were detected by British fighter jets in separate incidents earlier this week, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said.

A pair of RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M "Coot-A" intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea on 15 April, while another two Typhoons intercepted an unknown aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad airspace on 17 April.

The two intercepts, which took off from Malbork Air Base in Poland, were part of the UK's contribution to Nato's enhanced air policing.

They were the RAF's first intercepts since aircraft arrived in the region to begin the defence of Nato's eastern flank, working alongside Sweden.

The UK's involvement in Nato's enhanced air policing is called Operation Chessman and sees personnel from across the RAF deployed to Malbork alongside Sweden, Nato's newest member.

The undertaking follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that the UK was "unshakable" in its commitment to Nato.

"With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change," he said.

Mr Pollard added that the "mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO's newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad".

This is not the first time RAF jets have been used to intercept Russian aircraft.

Last year, two Typhoons based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland were scrambled after a Russian Bear-F bomber flew over the North Sea.

At the time, the MoD said the Russian reconnaissance plane had been detected in the UK's "area of interest", but had not been able to enter UK sovereign airspace.

Fifty Russian aircraft were also intercepted by RAF pilots based at Lossiemouth in 2023, when 21 aircraft were intercepted in a 21-day period.

In a separate incident in 2023, Typhoon fighters and a Norwegian F-35A fighter aircraft were launched as part of Nato's response to a Russian aircraft near Uk airspace.

Incidents like this - known as quick reaction alerts - are not uncommon and involve RAF crews shadowing Russian military aircraft near UK airspace and during operations further afield, if necessary. They have occurred since the Cold War era.

Intercepts are not just used to track Russian aircraft, though. In October 2024, RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept a civilian airliner which had reported a bomb on board.

Afterwards, an RAF spokesman said the alert ended without incident, and the Boeing 777-300 "was released to continue to its original destination".