The high voltage escalation between Russia and NATO. This Sunday, the Atlantic Alliance detected a Russian IL-20M military aircraft in the Baltic Air Sea, which the Kremlin Army uses as a spy for surveillance and recognition work. The German Air Force sent two Eurofighters to track the Russian aircraft, which lacked a Radio Flight and Contact Plan, and gave its escort to its NATO allies in Sweden, as explained in a note. The Atlantic Alliance has reinforced its presence in the eastern flank of Europe in the face of increasing the incursions and provocations of Russia.
The Kremlin is testing the limits of the organization, led by the United States, which is threatening to start withdrawing the reinforcement troops that it had sent to the area after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Once again, our fast reaction alert force, composed of two Eurofighters, received NATO’s task of investigating an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in the international airspace,” said the German Air Force in a statement. “It was an IL-20M Russian recognition plane. After visual identification, we yield the escort tasks to our NATO Swedish partners and return to [nuestra base de] Rostock Laage ”.
Russia uses that military plane to collect electronic signals – scan and records electronic emissions from military facilities, communication centers – collects image intelligence and monitors air defense systems. It is not the first time that an IL-20M is detected in the area (it has also been located in the vicinity of Alaska).
This new episode on the Baltic Sea, a hot point, happens on Friday by Russian mig-31 fighters and the incursion last week of almost twenty drones in Poland, an incident that unleashed an “unprecedented” response from NATO: for the first time, airplanes from member countries of that organization demolished “potential threats” in the ally. That event was followed by another incident in Romania.
Russia has denied the incident of Estonia and has assured that it flew over neutral waters. The government of that small Baltic country (in the transatlantic organization since 2004) has activated article 4 of the Atlantic Alliance, which launches internal consultations when a member feels that their territorial integrity, their political independence or security are threatened. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, according to allied sources.
“NATO’s response to any provocation must be united and strong,” said Estonio Prime Minister Kristen. “We consider that it is essential to consult with our allies to guarantee a shared knowledge of the situation and agree our next joint steps,” added Michal.
Estonia has also claimed an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council – which Russia is also a member – to treat the incursion of the Russian fighters, which lasted about 12 minutes, until the Kremlin aircraft were forced to withdraw for the support planes of NATO member countries that patrolled the area, as reported by the Ministers of Defense and Foreign External.
