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Thursday, 6 November 2014

NATO F-16 Jets Intercept Russian Spy Plane, Latvia Says

   NATO fighter jets intercepted a Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, the latest in a spate of similar incidents that have grown in frequency during the conflict in Ukraine.
   F-16s based in the Baltic region intercepted a Russian IL-20 surveillance plane, Latvia’s army said today on its Twitter account. The encounter took place near Latvia’s territorial waters, according to a separate tweet.
   The increased activity coincides with wrangling between Russia, the U.S. and the European Union over the future of Ukraine, where a September cease-fire is wobbling. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization tracked Russian military planes that included fighter jets, long-range bombers and tankers over the Baltic region, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean for three days in late October.
   NATO says interceptions in 2014 have now reached 100, three times last year’s total. The alliance pledged in September to bolster the defenses of frontline states in eastern Europe in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.
   The tensions haven’t been confined to northern Europe, A Russian hydrographic ship was detected on Nov. 4 in Portugal’s exclusive economic zone and was escorted by a Portuguese navy ship, Radio Renascenca reported yesterday on its website, citing Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Pedro Aguiar Branco. 

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