Nato jets intercept Russian warplanes following ‘unusual level of air activity’

NATO aircraft shadowed Russian strategic bombers over the Atlantic and Black Sea and fighter planes over the Baltic in what the western alliance called an unusual burst of activity as tensions remain elevated because of the situation in Ukraine.

In all, NATO said that its jets had intercepted four groups of Russian aircraft in about 24 hours since 28 October 2014 and some were still on manoeuvres late on the following day.

Incursions were reported on air space of several European countries, like Lithuania, Estonia, Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom and Portugal.

On 5 November, a Portuguese navy ship escorted a Russian oceanic research vessel away from Portugal's maritime economic zone.

A new study released by the European Leadership Network (ELN) detailed the rise in close encounters between Russian forces and the West in 2014.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: NATO, Swedish fighters scrambled to intercept Russian plane http://www.europeansources.info/record/nato-swedish-fighters-scrambled-to-intercept-russian-plane/

ESO: Background information: Sweden suspects Russian submarine got stranded in its waters http://www.europeansources.info/record/sweden-suspects-russian-submarine-got-stranded-in-its-waters/

Euronews, 30.10.14: NATO accuses Russian bombers of flying close to its airspace http://www.euronews.com/2014/10/30/nato-accuses-russian-bombers-of-flying-close-to-its-airspace/

BBC News, 29.10.14: Nato reports rise in Russia military flights over Europe http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29825890

The New York Times, 30.10.14: New Russian Boldness Revives a Cold War Tradition: Testing the Other Side http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/world/europe/new-russian-boldness-revives-a-cold-war-tradition-testing-the-other-side-.html

Euronews, 30.10.14: NATO outlines ‘unusual’ activity of Russian military aircraft http://www.euronews.com/2014/10/30/nato-outlines-unusual-activity-of-russian-military-aircraft/

BBC News, 30.10.14: Russian air force planes test Nato defences http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29832879

BBC News, 05.11.14: Portugal navy escorts Russian ship away from coast http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29919036

Euronews, 06.11.14: Russian ship intercepted off Portugal coast http://www.euronews.com/2014/11/06/russian-ship-intercepted-off-portugal-coast/

EUObserver, 10.11.14: Russian military trying to intimidate Nato, report says http://euobserver.com/defence/126454

Deutsche Welle, 10.11.14: Spike in Russian military activity is about more than Ukraine http://dw.de/p/1DknE

European Leadership Network: Dangerous Brinkmanship: Close Military Encounters Between Russia and the West in 2014 [Report, 2014] http://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/dangerous-brinkmanship-close-military-encounters-between-russia-and-the-west-in-2014_2101.html

EurActiv, 15.04.15: EU report on airliner incidents makes no mention of Russia http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/commission-retracts-report-airliner-incidents-baltic-313764

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