Two F-35 fighter jets intercepted a group of three Russian warplanes near Poland and escorted them out of NATO airspace, the Dutch defense ministry said on Monday evening, Reuters reported. One of the planes was a reconnaissance plane.

F-35 fighterPhoto: Ali Stewart/AFP/Profimedia Images

“An unknown aircraft approached the NATO area of ​​responsibility in Poland from Kaliningrad,” Reuters reports.

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea coast between Poland and Lithuania, members of NATO and the European Union.

“After identification, it turned out to be three planes: a Russian Il-20M Kut-A, which was accompanied by two Su-27s. Dutch F-35 aircraft escorted the formation at a distance and transferred the support to NATO partners,” the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands also reported.

Il-20M Kut-A is the NATO name for the Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft, while Su-27 Flankers is the NATO name for the Su-28 fighter jet.

Russia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense said eight F-35s were stationed in Poland in February and March.