Italy scrambles fighter jets to intercept aircraft over Baltic

ROME (Reuters) – Italy scrambled Eurofighter Typhoons to intercept unidentified aircraft that were flying in Baltic airspace, the Italian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Italian fighters took off from the Siauliai base in northern Lithuania after receiving orders from a NATO surveillance centre in Germany, it added.

It did not give any further details on the identify of the aircraft that had been spotted.

The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all members of the U.S.-led NATO alliance and have been strongly critical of neighbouring Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.

Italy took charge of the NATO Baltic mission at the start of August.