The Italian Air Force intercepted unknown aircraft over international waters in the Baltic Sea, they turned out to be Russian.

The Reuters agency, citing informed sources, identified them as Russian planes.

“In 24 hours the Eurofighter fighters of the Air Task Force 4th Wing, deployed on the Polish base of Malbork, conducted a scramble take-off twice,” the Italian Air Forces said in a statement.

The fighter jets scramble was requested by the NATO command to intercept the aircraft flying over the international waters of the Baltic Sea in the morning of March 28 and 29.

The alarm was then raised by the NATO Air Operations Command and Control Centre, based at Uedem, Germany.

The military provided no details, saying that after the interception, Italian aircraft returned to the Polish base at Malbork.

Two sources told the agency that Russian aircraft had been spotted by radar but had not responded to requests.

The Air Task Force 4th Wing uses four Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.

“Thanks to these fighters, you can guarantee the interception of any suspicious trace detected by the radar in a few minutes,” the Italian Air Force noted.

The Italian contingent, stationed at Królewo Airport in Malbork, operates in conjunction with the Polish Air Force to protect the northeast flank of the Atlantic Alliance.

As previously reported, in 2023, the Royal Air Force intercepted a Russian Tu-142 anti-submarine warfare aircraft north of Scotland.

Then also European Eurofighter Typhoon fighters were engaged in interception of the Russian aircraft.