Europe Boosts Air Patrol to Counter Aggressive Russian Invasion

Eight northern European nations have agreed to step up military training and data sharing to oppose an alleged "invasion" of airspace by Russia. Moscow increased its air patrols after NATO beefed up its European presence in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

The agreement for closer cooperation between Nordic and Baltic countries and Britain came on Wednesday.


"NATO has recorded over 100 intercepts so far this year, three times as many as in 2013 and the year is not yet finished," British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said during a news conference. "We will not allow Russia to continue to invade our airspace."

He accused Russia of "regularly flouting the rules of international aviation" and intimidating nations as far as Ireland and Portugal.

Britain agreed to extend the presence of its Typhoon jets to supervise Baltic airspace in 2015.

MoD Michael Fallon: UK offering to extend a mission by its Typhoon jets to help police Baltic airspace in 2015 http://t.co/De8QWOt3Qb #NATO

— NATOSource (@NATOSource) November 13, 2014