RAF scrambled to intercept Russian warplanes for second time in 3 days | World | News

British fighter jets have been scrambled twice in three days to intercept Russian warplanes flying close to NATO airspace. It is the latest in a string of missions of this kind by Royal Air Force Typhoons stationed in northern Poland on NATO duties.

The announcement on Friday came just a day after it was confirmed the jets had been scrambled four times in seven days to intercept Russian aircraft. A Russian Soviet-era reconnaissance AN-30 aircraft was shadowed by two Typhoons near NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea on Thursday. The twin turboprop, known by the NATO codename CLANK, specialises in aerial photography and was unidentified as it left Kaliningrad airspace — a Russian exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania in the Baltic region.

NATO then re-tasked the pair of Typhoons to intercept another aircraft flying in the same area.

It was identified as a Russian surveillance and reconnaissance Ilyushin Il-20M aircraft, NATO codename COOT A.

After being intercepted, the aircraft was shadowed by the British jets until it was deemed no longer necessary, the RAF said.

An RAF spokesperson said the jets were scrambled from the air base in Malbork to intercept the CLANK after it failed to communicate or file a flight path.

“All aircraft must do at least two of the three in accordance with international law,” the spokesperson said.

“Neither aircraft were complying with international law, therefore NATO can legally scramble aircraft to intercept.”

The Russian aircraft did not enter NATO airspace.

Six RAF Typhoons have been stationed in Poland since April as part of a NATO mission known as enhanced Air Policing (eAP) which was set up following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

It sees additional aircraft deployed along NATO‘s eastern borders in nations including Romania, Bulgaria and Estonia.

The RAF is deployed to the base in Malbork alongside Sweden’s air force — the first time Swedish fighter jets have taken part in air policing on the territory of another NATO ally since Stockholm joined the alliance in 2024.

Russian aircraft are often intercepted by NATO jets along the eastern flank.

In April, the RAF said the Typhoons based in Poland were scrambled three times in three days to intercept Russian warplanes.