German Jets Intercept Russian Spy Plane Near NATO Airspace

The Russian aircraft, flying without a flight plan or transponder signal, was escorted back toward Kaliningrad by German Eurofighters on March 27, 2025.

NATO's Combined Air Operation Center detected unusual activity near Kaliningrad at 9:14 AM on March 27, prompting the German Air Force to scramble two Eurofighters from Rostock-Laage Air Base.
The intercepted aircraft was identified as a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance plane, known by its NATO codename 'Coot-A'.
The Russian plane was flying without a flight plan or transponder signal and did not respond to radio communications, raising security concerns.
German fighter jets established radar contact with the aircraft at 9:45 AM and visual contact at 9:49 AM, escorting it east of Rügen until it turned back toward Kaliningrad around 10:00 AM.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between NATO and Russia, with NATO's Quick Reaction Alert system playing a key role in maintaining regional airspace security.