THE US and Canada have scrambled fighter jets to intercept four Russian military planes off the Alaskan coast.
It comes as the EU warned the Kremlin it is “prepared to shoot down” any aircraft if “airspace violations continue”.
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The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it tracked two Russian jets hovering over the The Alaskan Air Defence Identification Zone.
They did not enter US or Canadian airspace, it added.
Meanwhile, two Hungarian fighter planes reportedly intercepted five of Vlad’s jets over the Baltic Sea near Latvian airspace.
Yvette Cooper yesterday slammed Moscow for its “provocative and reckless” violations into Nato airspace in recent weeks during a speech to the UN.
Ms Cooper told the UN on Tuesday: “Ukraine’s security is our security, and all of us depend on upholding the UN Charter.
“Russia’s actions seek to undermine democracy, secure conflict and spread instability far beyond Europe’s borders.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen provocative and reckless violations of Nato airspace in Estonia, Poland and Romania, against which Nato stands firm, and we will be ready to act.”
She directly addressed Putin – warning his “reckless actions risk a direct armed confrontation between Nato and Russia”.
Ms Cooper added: “Be under no illusion. We stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend Nato’s skies and Nato’s territory.
“We are vigilant. We are resolute. And if we need to confront planes that are operating in Nato airspace without permission then we will do so.
“The United Kingdom stands by our friends. We are unwavering in our support for the principles of the UN Charter, for our Nato allies and for Ukraine.”
When asked if Washington would back them militarily, he was non-committal.
“That depends on the circumstance,” Trump said.
The tough words follow a dramatic incursion into Estonian airspace by two Russian MiG-31 fighters.
The jets brazenly tore into Estonian skies for 12 minutes – brushing off warnings from Italian F-35s scrambled to intercept them from Amari Air Base on Friday.
It marked the fourth incident this year and sparked calls for urgent Nato talks.
Estonia branded the flyover “unprecedentedly brazen”.
And PM Kristen Michal fumed that “such a violation is completely unacceptable”.
In a statement, Nato condemned the incursion – describing it as “part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour”.
Nato warned: “Russia should be in no doubt: Nato and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions.”
It comes after Trump told Nato countries to “shoot down” invading Russian aircraft – saying member states “shouldn’t hesitate” in the face of incursions.
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