German fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian Il-20 aircraft over Baltic Sea

The German Air Force scrambled their fighter jets over the Baltic Sea on Saturday to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft.

Source: European Pravda, citing German Air Force (Luftwaffe) on Twitter (Х)

The German aircraft were forced to take off from the base in Lielvārde, Latvia. 

"Our European fighter jets from VAPB took off from Lielvārde today on a defensive mission to intercept a Russian Il-20 over the Baltic Sea, which was flying without a transponder," the statement reads.

This is not the first such incident involving the interception of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft.

Background:

• In February, a French Mirage 2000 fighter jet intercepted a Russian Il-20 aircraft near the coast of Estonia.
• In January, Germany scrambled fighter jets from the Laage airbase in northeastern Germany to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft spotted over the Baltic Sea near its shores.

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