NATO scramble fighter jets to intercept two Russian aircraft near Finnish border amid tension over bloc bid

NATO has scrambled jets to intercept Russian war planes off of a Norway region next to Finland. Several F-35 fighters intercepted a Russian aircraft on Thursday after the Norwegian Air Force identified two jets flying near the Finnish border. Norway has scrambled jets to intercept a Russian warplane in its airspace Tensions between Russia and the Nordic countries have increased since Finland and Sweden submitted their applications to join NATO on May 18. Norway said it identified a Russian Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound” and a Sukhoi Su-24 “Fencer” jet. The Russian warplanes flew to the Norwegian Sea before returning east, the air force said. The Sørreisa Control and Reporting Centre, in the north of Norway, reported on the jets. Stine Barclay Gaasland, comms manager in the Norwegian Air Force, said two F35s are always on standby, in what’s called the Quick Reaction Alert for NATO. “In 15 minutes they must be in the air and be ready at all times. It is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Gaasland told Norway’s TV 2 Nyhetene.