UK fighter jets have intercepted in recent days two Russian planes flying near NATO airspace, as reported on Sunday by the British Ministry of Defense in a statement, EFE reports.
On Tuesday, April 15, two Typhoon aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF) took off from the air base in Malbork, Poland, to intercept a Russian intelligence aircraft Ilyushin Il-20M 'Coot-A' flying over the Baltic Sea, according to the note.
Similarly, two days later, another two Typhoons took off from the same base to intercept an "unknown" aircraft leaving the airspace of Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave located between Poland and Lithuania, approaching NATO airspace.
These two missions are part of the RAF's first deployment within the Operation CHESSMAN, as part of the British contribution to enhancing NATO's air surveillance.
The British aircraft arrived in the eastern region of Poland just a few weeks ago to begin their deployment alongside Sweden in defense of NATO's eastern flank.
The UK Labour government announced at the end of February its commitment to increase defense spending to 2.5% of the British GDP by 2027, the largest military allocation since the end of the Cold War, in response to the global situation created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"The UK maintains an unwavering commitment to NATO. Faced with increasing Russian aggression and rising security threats, we are intensifying our efforts to reassure our allies, deter adversaries, and protect our national security," said British Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, in the statement.
"This mission demonstrates our ability to operate side by side with Sweden, the newest NATO member, and to defend the Alliance's airspace where and when necessary, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad," he added.