Russian ambassador warns: If NATO touches our planes, we'll respond to war

The statement was made during an interview with the French news channel RTL, at a time when tensions between Russia and the Western alliance are on the rise, reports TopChannel broadcasting Periscope

Meskov's comments came after statements by former US President Donald Trump, who said NATO countries should bring down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace.

The launching of a Russian plane would constitute an act of war, you know there are many NATO aircraft that violate Russian airspace on purpose or not, but that happens quite often. They are not then shot”, the Russian ambassador said.

Following the ambassador's statements, NATO member states have reported a number of incidents occurring in recent weeks, where Russian aircraft and intimidation have violated their airspace.

On September 10th, Poland reported the collapse of at least three Russian drones on its territory, while Romania confirmed the flight of a pilotless Russian plane for about an hour over its airspace. Meanwhile, on 19 September, Estonia said three Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter aircraft had entered the country's airspace for 12 minutes.

Moscow has denied the charges, calling them groundless and part of a campaign against it. Ambassador Meskov reiterated the Kremlin's official line, rejecting even the suspicious activities of drones observed in Denmark and Norway earlier this week.

Repeated incidents at NATO's eastern borders are further straining the already strained relations between the West and Russia, especially since the beginning of Ukraine's invasion in 2022.

In recent months, Western officials have warned of a danger of direct military confrontation with Russia in the years to come, especially if the war in Ukraine escalates or lasts further.