Italian Air Force warplanes scrambled to intercept four Russian fighter jets flying into Nato airspace

FOUR RUSSIAN warplanes have been intercepted after they flew into Nato airspace as tensions continue to rage between Vladimir Putin and the West. Italian Air Force fighter planes were scrambling after Putin’s jets were detected straying into airspace belonging to Poland and Sweden from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Italian Air ForceThe Italian Air Force scrambled the planes to intercept the Russians[/caption] Rome sent four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Poland as part of a Nato air policing mission back in July – with the warplanes stationed at Malbork Air Base. Poland is a long time member of the alliance, while Sweden only this year signed protocols to join in response to Putin’s vicious war in Ukraine. Kaliningrad is a heavily militarised piece of territory cut off from the main Russian state and surrounded by Poland and Lithuania. It is often at the centre of tensions between Putin and Nato – with Moscow earlier this year threatening to deploy nukes to the region. READ MORE ON RUSSIA HELL ON EARTH Putin's 'mini-Auschwitz' torture chamber as gold teeth and horror tools found BLOODY LEGACY Cancer-stricken Putin 'in horrible pain & rushing to cement place in history' In a statement the Aeronautica Militare – the Italian Air Force – explained the fighter jets took off from Kaliningrad before infringing on Polish airspace. The planes then flew across the Baltic Sea towards Sweden before being “forced” to return to base. Most read in News MID-AIR TRAGEDY Woman suffers fatal heart attack on flight to UK as medics rush to meet jet 'GRAVELY ILL' Rolf Harris 'can't talk & is under 24hr care' while battling neck cancer JANE MOORE Meg & Harry's new photos show she is still calling all the shots - here's why DESPERATE SEARCH Moors Murder cops give update on search for victim after ‘skull’ was found MERCILESS BEATING Boy, 13, seriously hurt after being attacked by gang who hunted him down SLEEPOVER 'MURDERS' Man admits killing girls, 11, boy, 13, and mum but denies rape of child