The Royal Norwegian Air Force scrambled F-35 fighter jets from Evenes, Norway on Nov. 16 in response to Russian aircraft, NATO Air Command reported on Nov. 17.
Russia’s planes were reportedly flying close to NATO airspace.
The aircraft were identified as two Tu-160 bombers, two MiG-31 jets, and two Il-78 tankers.
The planes “returned to Russia shorty after meeting the F-35s,” NATO Air Command said in a post on the social media platform X.
After the Danish Air Force intercepted Russian bombers en route to Dutch airspace in August 2023, a spokesperson for the Dutch Royal Air Force said that it was not rare for Russian planes to approach or violate European airspace.
Japan’s Defense Ministry reported on Oct. 31 that a Russian helicopter violated Japanese airspace, requiring the air force to scramble fighter jets in response.
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