German Fighter Jets Scrambled to Intercept Russian Reconnaissance Aircraft
German Air Force fighter jets were scrambled Friday morning to intercept a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea, The Gaze reports, citing Bild.
The Russian plane, which took off from Kaliningrad, had its transponder switched off and no filed flight plan, flying westward directly toward international airspace near Poland and Germany.
The aircraft was soon detected by NATO radar systems, which prompted the activation of the German Armed Forces’ Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) unit.
Two Eurofighter Typhoons were deployed to intercept. They established visual contact with the Russian plane approximately 100 kilometers off the German coast, photographing it as it continued undeterred.
Despite interception, the Il-20M maintained its course and changed direction only 40 kilometers from the island of Usedom, narrowly avoiding violation of German airspace.
Before returning to Laage Air Base at 11:10 a.m., one of the German jets continued to shadow the Russian aircraft as it flew northeast past Denmark’s Bornholm island.
This marks the ninth such interception mission by Germany in 2025, highlighting ongoing tensions and Russia’s persistent probing of NATO’s eastern airspace.
Read more on The Gaze: How Europe is Preparing for a Great War