NATO fighters scrambled three times to identify Russian aircraft

NATO air policing fighters scrambled three times in the Baltic states last week to identify and escort Russian aircraft that violated flight rules, LRT reported, citing Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence.

On Monday, the fighters were sent to identify an IL-20 aircraft flying through international airspace from mainland Russia to the Kaliningrad Region. The aircraft had no activated transponder or flight plan but maintained radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.

On Tuesday, NATO fighters were sent to identify and intercept an object that entered Estonian territory from Russia. NATO aircraft later patrolled near the Estonia-Russia border.

On September 5, the fighters were sent to identify another IL-20 flying through international airspace from Russia’s Kaliningrad Region to mainland Russia. It was also flying without an activated transponder or flight plan while maintaining radio contact with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre.

NATO has conducted air policing missions in the Baltic states since March 2004, when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined the alliance.