Lithuanian Military Claims NATO Jets Escorted Russian Aircraft 8 Times in Week

Sputnik News

21:18 14.08.2017

According to the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, NATO fighter jets have intercepted and guided Russian aircraft eight times last week.

VILNIUS (Sputnik) – NATO fighter jets carrying out an air policing mission in the Baltic region have intercepted and guided Russian aircraft eight times last week, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said in a statement Monday.

"From August 7 to August 13, NATO fighter jets conducting the air-policing mission in the Baltic states, have flown over the Baltic Sea in the international waters eight times in order to identify and escort Russian aircraft," the statement said.

Lithuania has no aircraft suitable for the airspace defense. Since the beginning of May, the mission in Lithuania is carried out by four Polish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.

The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that the flights of the country's Aerospace Forces are carried out in strict accordance with international regulations on the use of airspace over neutral waters.

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