"In total, NATO aircraft intercepted six different groups of Russian military aircraft near the alliance's airspace in less than six hours," the press release said.
According to NATO, Russian Tu-95, Tu-160, Il-38 were escorted, as well as “three more military aircraft”.
The alliance noted that Russian aircraft did not violate NATO borders, and their interception was carried out in accordance with standard security protocols.
On March 29, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers flew over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, and two more Tu-142 long-range anti-submarine aircraft flew over the neutral waters of the North, Norwegian and Barents Seas, as well as over the northeastern waters. Atlantic.
According to the Northern Fleet, a pair of F-16 fighters of the Norwegian Air Force and two Typhoon fighters of the British Air Force took off twice to escort the Tu-142.