NATO air policing mission fighters in the Baltic states intercepted Russian military aircraft six times last week for violating flight rules.
This was reported by LRT, citing Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence.
According to the Lithuanian defence ministry, on Monday, 21 September, NATO fighters were scrambled to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft. It was flying with its transponder switched off and without a flight plan, while maintaining radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.
That same day, Alliance fighters patrolled the airspace near the Latvian-Belarusian border.
On Tuesday, 22 September, fighters took off to identify two Su-30 aircraft. They were flying with transponders switched off, without flight plans and did not respond to the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.
On Thursday, 24 September, NATO fighters intercepted several Russian aircraft at once: three MiG-31s, a Tu-134 passenger aircraft, a Su-30SM multirole fighter and three Su-30M2s.
According to Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence, all of them were flying without flight plans and with transponders switched off. Only the Tu-134 maintained radio contact with air traffic controllers.
That same day, NATO aircraft identified a Su-35, two Su-30M2s and a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft. These aircraft were also flying with transponders switched off, without flight plans and without radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.
On Saturday, 26 September, NATO fighters were scrambled to intercept a Su-24 bomber, which was also flying with its transponder switched off, without a flight plan and did not maintain radio contact.
NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltic states operates from air bases in Lithuania and Estonia. Its task is to patrol the Baltic states’ airspace and respond to aircraft that require identification.
- On 23 September, north of the settlement of Braniewo a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter violated Polish airspace.