NATO fighter jets escorted Russian military aircraft violating airspace seven times during week

NATO fighter jets patrolling in the Baltic region were scrambled seven times last week to identify and intercept Russian aircraft that had violated flight rules. Source: Lithuanian Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda Details: The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence reports that on 11 December, NATO fighter jets were scrambled to identify two Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft and one Il-20 aircraft, probably of this model.

It is noted that the planes were flying in international airspace from Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast without filing a flight plan, with the onboard transponder switched off, and without radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

Last Thursday (12 December), NATO Air Policing aircraft were scrambled again to identify an IL-20, a Tu-214PU and an IL-18 passenger aircraft. These aircraft flew from Kaliningrad Oblast to mainland Russia or vice versa without filing a flight plan, and the IL-20 had no activated onboard transponder.

On 13 December, NATO fighter jets were scrambled to identify an IL-76 military aircraft and two Tu-214 passenger jets flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without filing a flight plan. On Sunday, 15 December, an An-72 cargo plane was identified as flying to Kaliningrad without filing a flight plan and with its onboard transponder switched off.

The Alliance's Air Policing mission in the Baltic states is being carried out from Lithuania and temporarily from Latvia while the Estonian airbase is undergoing repairs.

Background: 

• Fighter jets performing NATO's Air Policing mission in the Baltic states intercepted Russian aircraft violating flight rules three times in one week in August 2024.
• Russian military aircraft were spotted and identified near Latvian airspace in early December during NATO patrol flights.

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