NATO Jets Scrambled 160 Times to Protect Lithuanian Airspace in 2015

British Typhoon intercepts Russian Su-34 jets over Baltic airspace, July 24, 2015Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said that NATO jets patrolling airspace over the Baltic Countries scrambled 160 times to intercept Russian planes in 2015, up 14% on the previous year.

The number of times jets were scrambled last year was up on the 140 occasions in 2014, according to the Ministry.

Russian military aircraft activity over the Baltic Sea has significantly increased since 2014 amid a heightening of tensions between Moscow and western countries over Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

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Image: British Typhoon intercepts Russian Su-34 jets over Baltic airspace, July 24, 2015 (photo: UK Ministry of Defense)