NATO fighters jets from Lithuania and Estonia scrambled three times last week to intercept Russian aircraft flying without proper identification over the Baltic Sea, LRT reported on 6 October. Lithuania's Defense Ministry said Russian military planes heading to Russian exclave Kaliningrad again ignored key aviation safety rules.
NATO fighters intercept Russian aircraft flying without flight plans
Citing the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, LRT says NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission took off three times in one week to identify Russian planes that were violating flight regulations. On 30 September, alliance fighters intercepted two Russian AN-12 transport aircraft flying from mainland Russia toward Kaliningrad in international airspace. The planes had their transponders switched on, but were flying without flight plans.
The same day, NATO fighters also intercepted a Russian AN-72 transport plane heading to Kaliningrad. This plane also had its transponder on but no flight plan. It maintained radio contact, but the Russian military jets escorting it did not.
Four Su-30 fighters and two MiG-31 fighters flew alongside the AN-72 without transponders, without flight plans, and with no radio communication, the ministry said.
NATO identifies Russian Su-35 fighter and Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft
In another incident last week, NATO fighters identified a Russian Su-35 fighter jet flying near Baltic airspace. On 1 October, alliance aircraft intercepted a Russian Su-24MR tactical reconnaissance plane flying without a transponder, without a flight plan, and without radio contact with the control center.
The NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States operates from Lithuania and Estonia.
