"Germany's air force says it has scrambled two Eurofighter jets to track a Russian reconnaissance aircraft after it had entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea. In a statement, the air force said its quick reaction alert force was ordered on Sunday by NATO to investigate an unidentified aircraft flying without a plan or radio contact. list of 4 itemsend of list It was a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft."
"The operation was conducted as NATO prepares to convene its North Atlantic Council on Tuesday to discuss a separate incident involving Russian jets over Estonia. According to the Reuters news agency, that meeting is to address what Tallinn called an unprecedented and brazen violation of its airspace on Friday when three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered without permission and remained for 12 minutes before leaving. The claim sparked condemnation from NATO and European governments, who called the incursion a reckless and dangerous provocation."
"Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal requested urgent NATO Article 4 consultations on the totally unacceptable incursion. Article 4 allows NATO members to hold consultations with the alliance when any state believes its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat. Russia's Ministry of Defence denied the allegation while Estonia summoned Moscow's charge d'affaires in protest. Tensions have been heightened in recent weeks by a series of airspace violations along NATO's eastern flank."
German air force scrambled two Eurofighter jets to track a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft after it entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea. NATO ordered the quick reaction alert force to investigate an unidentified aircraft flying without a flight plan or radio contact. After visual identification, escort duties were handed over to Swedish NATO partners and the German jets returned to Rostock-Laage. NATO prepared to convene its North Atlantic Council to address a separate incident in which three Russian MiG-31 fighters allegedly violated Estonian airspace. Estonia requested Article 4 consultations, and Russia denied the allegation, amid heightened regional tensions and recent airspace incidents.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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