The treaty organization announced on Friday that NATO air forces were scrambled more than 300 times in response to Russian military aircraft in 2023.
“The vast majority of aerial encounters between NATO and Russian jets were safe and professional. Breaches of NATO airspace by Russian military aircraft remained rare and generally of short duration”, NATO stated, adding that the majority of intercepts took place over the Baltic Sea.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, NATO significantly strengthened its eastern flank air defences with additional fighter jets, surveillance flights, and ground-based air defences.
In a statement, NATO spokesperson Dylan White stated, “NATO fighter jets are on duty around the clock, ready to scramble in case of suspicious or unannounced flights near the airspace of our Allies”.
Earlier on Friday, Russia unleashed one of war’s most devastating missile attacks on Ukraine, killing 12 civilians, injuring dozens more, and striking residential structures in Kyiv, the country’s south and west.
Also read: “Putin Must be Stopped”, Says Biden After Missile Strikes In Ukraine
