Russian jets intercepted US bombers in the vicinity of Kaliningrad on Monday

Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the United States were intercepted by two Russian SU-27 fighter jets near Kaliningrad, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea, on Monday, according to a U.S. official on Tuesday.

The U.S. bombers were conducting training exercises in the Baltic Sea region alongside their NATO ally, Finland, which shares a 1,340 km (833 mile) border with Russia. This training occurs amid rising tensions due to Western support for Ukraine in its efforts to counter Russia’s invasion.

The interception of the U.S. bombers by Russian jets took place shortly after Russia launched a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine last Thursday, a response to the U.S. and Britain’s decision to permit Kyiv to target Russian territory with advanced Western weaponry.

The U.S. bombers maintained their pre-planned flight paths during what was characterized as a safe and professional intercept by the Russian SU-27s, as reported by the U.S. official to Reuters.

On the same day, the U.S. B-52s conducted operations alongside Finnish F/A-18Cs during a joint U.S.-Finnish exercise in Finnish airspace.

The Finnish Air Force confirmed in an email to Reuters that its fighter jets and the U.S. bombers participated in a training mission on Monday aimed at enhancing Finland’s defense capabilities.

While the Finnish Air Force’s statement did not mention the Russian interception, it noted that the drill included “simulated air-to-ground drops [to] demonstrate our ability to work together in fire-use missions,” emphasizing that this cooperation also bolstered NATO’s collective defense and deterrence in the northern region.

In a significant shift from its historical stance of military non-alignment, Finland joined NATO in 2023 as a direct reaction to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Having successfully resisted a Soviet invasion attempt during World War II, Finland has emerged as one of Europe’s most steadfast supporters of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.