Russian Bombers Enter NATO Airspace

Russia sent at three military airplanes into NATO airspace today, prompting  Norway and the United Kingdom to scramble jets to meet incoming aircraft, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Sept. 7).

Two Norwegian fighter jets and then British aircraft tracked two Russian Tu-160 long-range bombers that flew through NATO airspace, defense officials said.

Officials in Finland said a Russian Ilyushin-76 transport plane also spent about three minutes in Finnish airspace.

“These kinds of (violation) must not happen,” said Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.  “And when they do happen, then they need to be sorted out between the countries in question.”

Russia announced last month that it would begin sending strategic bombers on long-range flights for the first time since the end of the Cold War (see GSN, Aug. 20).  Several intercepts have occurred since August, one involving U.S. fighter jets based on the Pacific island of Guam.

“All flights of our strategic bombers have been conducted in accordance with international rules,” said Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky, spokesman for the Russian air force.  “Our planes have flown over neutral waters without approaching air borders of any foreign nation” (Raphael Satter, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Sept. 14).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.