NATO fighter jets patrolling the Baltic region were sent seven times last week to identify and intercept Russian aircraft that had violated flight rules, Lithuania’s Defense Ministry reported and echoed .
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense reported that on December 11, NATO fighter jets were deployed to identify two Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft and one Il-20 aircraft, probably of this model.
The planes were flying in international airspace from Russia’s Kaliningrad region without submitting a flight plan, with the onboard transponder turned off and without radio communication with the regional air traffic control center.
Last Thursday, December 12, NATO air police planes were dispatched again to identify an IL-20, a Tu-214PU and an IL-18 passenger plane. These aircraft flew from the Kaliningrad region to mainland Russia or vice versa without submitting a flight plan and the IL-20 did not have any activated onboard transponders.
On December 13, in addition, NATO fighter jets were sent to identify an IL-76 military aircraft and two Tu-214 passenger aircraft that were flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without submitting a flight plan. And on Sunday, December 15, an An-72 cargo plane was identified flying towards Kaliningrad without presenting a flight plan and with the onboard transponder turned off.
The Alliance air policing mission in the Baltics is being carried out from Lithuania and temporarily from Latvia while repairs are carried out at the Estonian air base.
