NATO has said its fighter jets were scrambled more than twice as often in July than during the same period last year along the alliance's eastern flank.

The alliance said on Wednesday that Russian military aircraft "repeatedly flew close to NATO airspace without a flight plan and transponder signal," forcing the alliance's fighter jets to take off from their bases and intercept the aircraft. Transponders provide information about an aircraft, such as its altitude and exact location.

In the first half 2026 alone, NATO member Norway deployed fighter jets 62 times in response to Russian flights on NATO's northeastern flank, Newsweek reported in July.

In just six months this year, Oslo said it had detected more Russian aircraft near its airspace than in any entire year since 2021.

While it is not unusual for military aircraft to skirt close to an adversary country, Russia sending its sophisticated bombers close to NATO's borders is generally seen as an intimidation tactic.

It comes as The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Russia could try a "limited" attack on a NATO country in the coming years, according to U.S. intelligence assessments.

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