NATO fighter jets scramble three times to intercept Russian aircraft over Baltic region

NATO fighter jets conducting air policing missions in the Baltic states scrambled three times last week to identify and escort Russian aircraft violating flight regulations, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence reported on Monday.

According to the ministry, two SU-24 aircraft flew in international airspace from Russia’s Kaliningrad region and back on Wednesday without transponders, flight plans, or radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre (RSVC). On the same day, a TU-134 aircraft traveling from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad was intercepted after flying with a transponder but without a flight plan or radio communication.

Separately, on May 1, allied fighter jets were scrambled to identify two SU-24SM aircraft flying in international airspace to and from Kaliningrad without transponders, flight plans, or radio contact with air traffic control.

NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltic states has been operational since March 2004, when Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined the alliance. Since then, military personnel from Belgium, Denmark, the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain, the US, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, Germany, and Italy have participated in patrols over Baltic airspace.