NATO fighter jets intercepted three Russian military planes near Poland

Two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted a group of three Russian warplanes near Poland and escorted them out. The planes were approaching from Kaliningrad.

This is reported by Reuters with reference to the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands.

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave on the Baltic coast, sandwiched between NATO and European Union members Poland and Lithuania.

"After identification, it turned out to be a Russian Il-20M Kut-A, which was accompanied by two Su-27 flankers. Dutch F-35 escorted the group from a distance and transferred the escort to NATO partners," the message reads.

Il-20M Kut-A is the official NATO name for the Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft, while Su-27 Flanker is for the Su-28 fighter jet.

The Ministry of Defense of Russia did not comment on the incident.

• At the end of January, the Netherlands sent eight F-35 fighter jets to Poland. Half of them in February and March will be used to protect the NATO airspace over Eastern Europe, the so-called Air Policing. The other four F-35s are participating in a training program with allies.