"The aircraft turned out to be a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane. After visually identifying it, the Bundeswehr [German military] handed over the escort to our Swedish NATO partners @SwedenNato and returned to Rostock-Laage,"
"identifying and monitoring a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace."
"Well, I don't love it. I don't love it when that happens. Could be big trouble,"
German and Swedish fighter jets were scrambled after a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea without a flight plan or radio contact. NATO ordered Germany's quick reaction alert force to investigate the unidentified aircraft, and the Bundeswehr visually identified the IL-20M before handing escort duties to Swedish NATO partners. The incident follows multiple September incursions, including three MiG-31 fighters entering Estonian airspace and more than a dozen Russian drones entering Polish airspace. Estonia and Poland invoked NATO Article 4 and summoned Russian diplomats, while Russia denied airspace violations.
Read at www.npr.org
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