NATO jets intercept Russian Su-30s over Baltic as Zapad drills and drone incidents raise tensions

NATO-linked jets intercepted and escorted away two Russian Su-30 combat aircraft over the Baltic Sea that Swedish authorities said were fitted with Kh-31 supersonic anti-ship missiles, part of a series of military moves and airspace incidents that have heightened alert across northern and eastern Europe.

The Swedish Armed Forces said on Sept. 11 that JAS 39 Gripen fighters, operating with assistance from Denmark, intercepted a Su-30SM and a Su-30SM2 from Russia’s Baltic Fleet after the aircraft were detected in international airspace without flight plans and with transponders turned off. An Il-20M signals intelligence aircraft was also identified on the mission and was escorted away, the Swedish force said. “The Swedish Air Force is always on alert,” the service posted on social media.

Swedish authorities and NATO partners described the intercepted Su-30s as carrying Kh-31 missiles, a high-speed air-to-surface weapon developed to target ships and air-defence systems. The Il-20M reconnaissance platform is used for electronic and communications intelligence, officials said, enabling Moscow to gather information on NATO networks and emissions.

The interception came amid a spate of regional airspace incidents and Russia’s large-scale Zapad-2025 exercises held with Belarus. On Sept. 9 Poland reported that as many as 23 drones entered its airspace, and later accused Moscow of an unprecedented breach. Romania publicly reported an airspace violation on Sept. 13, and Latvia said a drone crashed in its eastern territory. Polish authorities also said a civilian drone flew over the presidential palace and government buildings, calling the flight a “provocation.”

The Zapad exercises, which began on Sept. 12 and concluded on Wednesday, featured fighter jets, attack drones, helicopters, infantry drills, mortars and missile systems in Belarusian training areas. Moscow has frequently used such drills to test tactics and interoperability, and the presence of Russian forces in Belarus has prompted concern among neighbouring states. Warsaw temporarily closed its border with Belarus as a precaution during the exercises.

Poland deployed tens of thousands of troops to its eastern border ahead of the drills. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the exercises as "very aggressive" and took measures including the temporary border closure. Poland has warned that the security situation in the region represents the closest risk of open conflict with Russia since World War II.

Several NATO and European allies have moved to bolster defences on the alliance’s eastern flank in recent days. Nations participating in what some officials have called an "Eastern Sentry" posture include Denmark, which deployed two F-16 fighters and a frigate; France, which sent three Rafale jets; and Germany, which deployed four Eurofighter aircraft. The deployments are intended to reinforce air policing and maritime surveillance in the southern Baltic and neighbouring areas.

The successive airspace incidents and strikes inside Ukraine have rekindled calls among some officials for more robust measures against Russian aerial threats. Poland’s foreign minister urged NATO to begin shooting down Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine, a stance echoed at times by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Telegram, Zelensky said that in the two weeks prior to his post, Russia had launched more than 3,500 drones, more than 2,500 glide bombs and nearly 200 missiles against targets inside Ukraine.

Security analysts and some former military officials said the encounters signalled a shift in European readiness. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army colonel, said NATO had grown more resolute in response to Russian actions, asserting that allies had previously undertaken reductions that may have encouraged greater Russian assertiveness.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a long-standing Russian ally, permitted Russian forces to operate from Belarus in 2022 and has since allowed Moscow to deploy systems and munitions on Belarusian territory, officials and public reporting say. The use of Belarus as a staging and training area has factored into neighbouring countries’ security calculations, particularly in Poland and the Baltic states.

Officials in Sweden and Denmark described the Gripen interception as routine air-policing in international airspace and said allied aircraft followed established procedures to identify and escort the Russian aircraft away. NATO spokespeople have said the alliance is monitoring activity closely and coordinating with member and partner states to ensure regional security.

The incidents underscore a sustained period of elevated tensions across northern and eastern Europe as Russia continues large-scale operations in Ukraine and increases military activity near NATO territory. Governments in the region have called for continued vigilance, additional deployments, and greater NATO coordination to deter further airspace violations and to protect alliance air and maritime borders.