NATO intercepts Russian aircraft

The encounter represents a muscular display of air power on the alliance's eastern flank at a time of heightened global tension.

French Rafale fighters deployed from Lithuania joined aircraft from Sweden, Finland, and Poland to monitor the Russian formation.

While NATO described the intercept as a routine air-policing operation, the scale of the Russian flight has drawn scrutiny from Western defense officials.

Russia's defense ministry maintained that the flight was conducted in accordance with international law over neutral waters.