Russia is provoking NATO: what is known

British RAF fighter jets were scrambled twice in less than 48 hours to protect NATO airspace from Russian warplanes.

It is noted that British Typhoon fighter jets took off after Russian aircraft flew too close to NATO's border, causing alarm.

The first case of fighter jets being scrambled occurred on Tuesday, April 15. Then two Typhoon fighters based at the air base in Malbork (Poland) were scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Less than 48 hours later, another pair of aircraft were dispatched to intercept an unidentified aircraft that had taken off from the Kaliningrad region, between Poland and Lithuania.

The Telegraph added that this was the first time British aircraft had been involved in Operation Chessman, a new NATO mission aimed at strengthening Europe's air defenses.

In February, French Rafale fighter jets "intercepted" two aircraft near the coast of Latvia. The same month, Norwegian F-35 fighters "intercepted" a group of Russian bombers in the Far North. These were two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-33 fighters.