Norwegian F‑35s intercept Russian spy plane near Finnmark border
Norwegian F-35 fighters intercepted a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 spy plane near the Finnmark region. The armed forces of Norway deployed two F-35 multirole aircraft for this mission.
8:22 AM EST, November 22, 2024
The Norwegian armed forces detected the presence of the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 spy plane, identified by NATO as Coot-A, which was conducting reconnaissance near the Finnmark area.
In response, two standby F-35 fighters were dispatched from the Evenes base near Narvik to identify the Russian aircraft.
Increasing activity of Russian aircraft
The Russian Il-20 was intercepted in international airspace close to Norway's borders. The Norwegian Air Force Command emphasized that although the operation was routine, similar actions by Russia are becoming more frequent.
Since the spring of 2024, when Sweden and Finland joined NATO, the activity of Russian reconnaissance and spy aircraft in the northern Scandinavian region has significantly increased.
