Spanish EF-18 fighter jets "intercepted" a Russian An-12 military aircraft in international airspace "controlled by one of the Baltic states," the General Staff of the Spanish Defence Ministry said. This reported by Sputnik.

"The interception was made on May 24 over the [Baltic] sea," the statement said, adding that "the plane did not meet the necessary requirements for flying in this airspace."

The military added that the Spanish aircraft escorted the Russian jet "in accordance with the established protocol."

"The type of the aircraft was established" and it was escorted by the Spanish aircraft until it entered "into the next area of responsibility."

Last week, the Spanish military's General Staff has published on its Twitter page photographs showing NATO warplanes' interception of what looked like Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft.