NATO jets again intercept Russian plane over Baltic near Latvia

Patrol aircraft from NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission on December 19 intercepted a military aircraft of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea, the National Armed Forces of Latvia reported on Twitter on Saturday.

"Air Policing jets on December 19 in international airspace above the Baltic Sea near LV border identified RU AF 1x Il-20," the Latvian armed forces' tweet reads.

However, the Latvian authorities said the airspace of the Baltic countries had not been violated.

NATO forces intercepted Russian planes over Europe 250 times during the first six months of 2015. NATO officials said that it was the highest number for the same period since the end of the Cold War.