German and Swedish jets intercept Russian military plane over Baltic Sea
German and Swedish fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance plane that entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea on Sunday morning, officials from Germany and Sweden said.
German officials said NATO ordered Germany’s “quick reaction alert force” to investigate an unidentified aircraft flying without a plan or radio contact.
“The aircraft turned out to be a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane. After visually identifying it, the Bundeswehr [German military] handed over the escort to our Swedish NATO partners @SwedenNato and returned to Rostock-Laage,” Germany’s delegation to NATO said in a post on X.
Sweden’s air force said its fighters were “identifying and monitoring a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace.”
This was the latest event after a series of incursions by Russian military aircraft into NATO airspace in September, leading to heightened tensions between NATO and Russia.
On Friday, Estonia said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace without permission and remained there for a total of 12 minutes.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal invoked NATO’s Article 4, which allows NATO members to hold consultations with the alliance when any state believes it is under threat.
Estonia also summoned Moscow’s charge d’affaires in protest, but Russia’s Ministry of Defense denied the allegation that it had violated Estonian airspace.
President Trump was asked about the incident by reporters on Friday.
“Well, I don’t love it. I don’t love it when that happens. Could be big trouble,” Trump said.
NATO’s Article 4 was also triggered days earlier by Poland after more than a dozen Russian drones arrived in Polish airspace on Sept. 10, leading Poland to shoot down some of them.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the event “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”
In another incident, on Sept. 14, Romania reported that a Russian drone had breached its airspace. Russia claimed without evidence that the incident was a provocation by Ukraine.
Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s minister of defense, said in an interview with Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR that NATO had demonstrated that it can effectively respond and use force, if necessary, against violations by Russia.
“This is exactly what Russia wants — to divert our attention away from helping Ukraine, and to focus on our own backyard. That has been one of Russia’s strategic aims: To get the West to mind its own business while Russia deals with Ukraine. That is a key goal behind these kinds of provocations,” Pevkur said.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
