A representative image of a Russian jet.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Berlin: Germany's air force on Sunday morning sent two Eurofighters to track a Russian IL-20m military aircraft that had entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea, it said, before handing the escort over to NATO partners in Sweden.
"Once again, our quick reaction alert force, consisting of two Eurofighters, was tasked by NATO with investigating an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in international airspace," Germany's air force said in a statement.
"It was a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft. After visual identification, we handed over escort duties for the aircraft to our Swedish NATO partners and returned to Rostock-Laage."
NATO's North Atlantic Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss Russia's violation of Estonian airspace, two officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.