Russian aircraft and their NATO counterparts have had numerous encounters in recent months, especially in the skies over the Baltics, where both forces are highly active.
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Russia took a jab at NATO on Twitter for close calls in the skies over Eastern Europe
Moscow claims that 20 foreign aircraft, six of which were intercepted, flew close to the Russian border this last week.
A Russian SU-34 jet.
A Russian spokesperson told Newsweek that those two incidents were a "necessity, not luxury unlike what is done by NATO," adding "We mind our legitimate business." A NATO spokesperson also told Newsweek that "allies and NATO routinely fly reconnaissance aircraft over Central Europe ... This is done in a safe and professional manner and in accordance with international law."
Russian and NATO jets and ships have been playing a game of cat and mouse in Eastern Europe over the last few years.
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Between March 2014 and April 2017 there have been 97 midair confrontations between Russian and western aircraft, according to western officials and advocacy group Global Zero. That was more than two-thirds of all air interceptions in the world during that period. Russian aircraft are usually the ones executing unsafe interceptions.
Between June 2 and June 20, there were at least 35 such interactions between Russian and NATO planes and ships in the Baltic Sea, according to Fox News.
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