NATO jets intercepted Russian aircraft twice last week

NATO fighter jets carrying out the air policing mission in the Baltic states took off twice last week to identify and escort aircraft that had violated flight rules, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence said on Monday, according to LRT.

On August 24, NATO air policing fighters took off to identify two Su-24 attack aircraft. The aircraft were flying without their radar transponders switched on or flight plans, and were not maintaining radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.

That same day, the air policing fighters also took off to identify two Su-24M attack aircraft. They, too, were flying without their radar transponders switched on or flight plans and were not maintaining radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.

The NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states operates from Lithuania and Estonia.