Moscow: The Dutch defense ministry said in a statement late on Monday that two F-35 fighters from their country intercepted a formation of three Russian military aircraft over Poland and escorted them out.

The ministry's statement was translated by Reuters as "the then unknown aircraft approached the Polish NATO area of responsibility from Kaliningrad." Between Poland and Lithuania, two countries that are members of NATO and the EU, is the Russian coastal enclave of Kaliningrad.

The three aircraft were eventually identified as being a Russian IL-20M Coot-A and two Su-27 Flankers. The formation was escorted by Dutch F-35s, who later turned over control of the escort to other NATO allies.

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The Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft is referred to by NATO as the Il-20M Coot-A, and the Sukhoi Su-28 fighter aircraft is referred to by NATO as the Su-27 Flankers.

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A request for comment from Reuters was not immediately answered by the Russian defense ministry. According to the defense ministry of the Netherlands, eight Dutch F-35s will be based in Poland in February and March.

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