NATO air force took off over 300 times in 2023 to intercept Russian aircraft
NATO countries intercepted Russian aircraft over 300 times in 2023 (af-mil)
NATO Air Force scrambled over 300 times in 2023 in response to actions by Russia, with the majority of interceptions occurring over the Baltic Sea, according to Sky News.
"The vast majority of aerial encounters between NATO and Russian jets were safe and professional. Breaches of NATO airspace by Russian military aircraft remained rare and generally of short duration," said Alliance spokesperson Dylan White.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO allies bolstered aviation on the eastern flank by deploying fighter jets and ground-based air defense systems.
"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," White added.
In August 2023, the U.S. air defense detected the approach of four Russian military aircraft near Alaska. However, they did not breach U.S. airspace.
Also, British Typhoon jets intercepted Russian Tu-142 bombers near Scotland.
