
A Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber is escorted by a British Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter during an intercept in September 2014. Click through the gallery to see other intercepts in late 2014.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in November that alliance fighters had intercepted Russian warplanes as they flew close to NATO countries more than 400 times in 2014, the kind of Russian air activity not seen since the Cold War.

An armed MiG-31 intercepted by Norwegian planes. The plane is nicknamed the Foxhound by NATO.

An armed Tu-22M supersonic bomber, nicknamed the Backfire by NATO, was photographed by Norwegian fighter jets.

A look at a Russian Tu-22M from below as taken by a Norwegian Royal Air Force fighter plane.

A Su-24 attack aircraft, nicknamed the Fencer by NATO, was photographed by a Norwegian warplane.

An armed MiG-31 Foxhound photographed from below by a Norwegian Royal Air Force interceptor.

A Russian Il-78 tanker refuels a Tu-95 Bear bomber in a photograph taken by a Norwegian warplane.

Two Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter bombers, nicknamed the Fullback by NATO, as photographed by Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet fighters.

Finnish fighter jets photographed this Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber.

Two Tupolev Tu-22M aircraft intercepted by Finnish fighter planes.

A Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bomber intercepted by Finnish fighter planes.