A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber flew over the Baltic twice last week - and both times Norwegian F-35s scrambled to intercept it. Moscow released video, NATO released photos, and the world got yet another piece of evidence that the skies over Europe haven't been peaceful in a long time.

The Tu-22M3 is no ordinary aircraft. It's a strategic bomber with a range of thousands of kilometers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons. When a plane like that flies near NATO borders, the response has to be instantaneous - and Norway delivered with its F-35s, the Alliance's most advanced fighters.

Russia insists the flights were in international airspace. Technically correct. But when a strategic bomber flies past your doorstep, "international airspace" is just diplomatic speak for "look how close I am."

These incidents have escalated dramatically since Russia intensified military operations in Ukraine. The Baltic, once a quiet periphery, is now one of the most tense airspace zones in Europe. Every flight is a test - how fast NATO responds, how close Russia pushes, and who blinks first.

Is this just routine saber-rattling or a prologue to something more dangerous? The Balkans know from experience - when great powers start measuring their jets against each other, the consequences don't stay in the sky.