British Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets have “intercepted” 21 Russian planes on the edge of NATO airspace during a mission in Estonia over the past three weeks, the Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.
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The Russian aircraft in question include fighter jets, transport or intelligence aircraft, and long-range Tu-22M bombers, according to the British Defense Forces.
“These interceptions are a stark reminder of the value of collective defense and deterrence that NATO provides,” British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement.
“The RAF has worked alongside our allies over the past three weeks to ensure member states and our partner countries are protected and they can rest assured that we will continue to support them as they strengthen European security alongside those who… share our values,” he added.
As part of Britain’s contribution to NATO missions, the British Typhoons have been based at Amari base in Estonia since March and take off to monitor Russian planes when they are unable to communicate with air traffic authorities and pose a threat to flight safety, the statement said Communication British Ministry of Defence.
The British planes have to remain in Estonia until August, when they will be replaced by Spanish army planes.
During its deployment to Estonia, the Royal Air Force also took part in several major exercises, one of which was described by London as the largest NATO air exercise since the end of the Cold War.
This show of strength and unity in the face of potential threats from Russia in the midst of the war in Ukraine was described by organizers as the largest air exercise in the history of the Alliance, attended by 250 military aircraft from 25 allied and partner countries of NATO, including Japan and Sweden. a candidate country.