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Royal Air Force (RAF) jets have intercepted Russian bombers just north of Scotland, the government has said.
Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept two Russian long-range maritime patrol bombers that were travelling north of the Shetland Islands in Scotland on Monday.
The incident saw the Russian Tu-142 Bear-F and Tu-142 Bear-J aircraft, used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, monitored by the Typhoons in international airspace as they passed north of the UK.
A Voyager tanker was also scrambled and remained airborne for the duration of the mission to offer air-to-air refuelling, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said: “RAF crews at Lossiemouth maintain a constant watch over UK airspace and are always ready to take action at a moment’s notice to keep our country safe.
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“Pilots launched in their Typhoon jets to intercept two Russian long-range bombers this morning, monitoring them as they passed north of the Shetland Islands, ready to counter any potential threat to UK territory.”
The Typhoons have reportedly now returned to their base.
It comes as the Danish air force intercepted two Russian bombers that were identified over Denmark and flying towards the area that the Netherlands monitors for the NATO military alliance, the Dutch Royal Airforce said on Monday.
It added that Dutch F-16s were called into action Monday morning, but the Russian bombers were intercepted before they could enter Dutch NATO airspace and have now turned back.
A spokesperson for the Dutch Royal Airforce said that planes are intercepted if they do not have a unique identifying code, did not provide a flight plan, and if there is no two-way conversation.
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