NATO deploys fighter jets after Russian plane appears over Baltic Sea

NATO scrambled two German Eurofighters in response to a Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Sunday, reported dpa.

The aircraft, which could not initially be identified, was flying in international airspace without a flight plan or radio contact, the German Air Force said.

It said the aircraft could not initially be properly identified, but appeared to have been a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft.

The German fighter jets took off from Rostock-Laage military airfield in the north of the country.

Germany's armed forces are keeping additional aircraft on standby to protect the airspace on NATO's eastern flank after a number of recent violations of allied airspace by Russia.