The Russian aircraft were intercepted by two Dutch F-35 fighters, which are part of an eight-strong team of Dutch planes policing the skies over NATO’s central and eastern European nations until the end of March, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters: “The then unknown aircraft approached the Polish NATO area of responsibility from Kaliningrad.”
The statement added: “After identification, it turned out to be three aircraft: a Russian IL-20M Coot-A that was escorted by two Su-27 Flankers. The Dutch F-35s escorted the formation from a distance and handed over the escort to NATO partners.”
Russia’s new offensive in Ukraine has already begun: NATO chief
The secretary-general of NATO has warned that Russia’s anticipated major new spring offensive in Ukraine is already under way.
Jens Stoltenberg made the assessment on Monday, ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, Britain’s The Independent newspaper reported.
The NATO chief said: “The reality is we have seen the start [of a Russian offensive] already because we see now what Russia does now – President Putin does now – is to send thousands and thousands more troops, accepting a very high rate of casualty.”
Stoltenberg also told reporters: “We see no sign whatsoever that President Putin is preparing for peace.”
The NATO chief said Russia was still intent on gaining control of Ukraine through force. He added: “We see how they are sending more troops, more weapons, more capabilities.”
NATO plans to increase its ammunition stockpile targets and Stoltenberg said he expected possible delivery of aircraft to Ukraine to be discussed at the two-day meeting.
The NATO chief said Ukraine’s use of ammunition was “many times higher than our current rate of production,” Britain’s The Guardian newspaper reported.
Ukraine’s Bakhmut under intense artillery fire
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces, "after holding out for months, are prepared for fresh ground attacks," military officials said.
One of the areas enduring heavy artillery fire is the town of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, news outlets reported.
Taking Bakhmut is Putin’s main objective and would give Russia a new foothold in the Donetsk province, according to The Independent.
Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk make up the Donbas, Ukraine’s industrial heartland, which is now partially under Russian control.
Volodymyr Nazarenko, deputy commander of Ukraine’s Svoboda battalion, said that Bakhmut, "the city’s suburbs, the entire perimeter, and essentially the entire Bakhmut direction and Kostyantynivka are under crazy, chaotic shelling,” as quoted by The Guardian.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military reported that 16 settlements had been bombarded near Bakhmut, The Guardian also reported.
“I thank all our warriors who prevent the occupier from surrounding Bakhmut,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address to the nation on Monday night.
Tuesday is day 356 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, Reuters, The Independent, The Guardian, president.gov.ua, BBC