NATO jets scramble four times in week to shadow Russian aircraft near Baltics

NATO fighter jets deployed in the Baltic states under the Alliance’s Air Policing mission were scrambled four times last week to identify and escort Russian military aircraft flying in violation of international aviation rules, Lithuania’s Defence Ministry announced.

According to the ministry, the first incident occurred on November 10, when NATO jets were dispatched to identify SU-24 and SU-33 fighters transiting through international airspace from mainland Russia toward the Kaliningrad region. Officials said the Russian aircraft were flying with their transponders switched off, had not submitted flight plans, and were not maintaining radio contact with regional air traffic controllers, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

On the following two days, NATO air-policing aircraft were launched to investigate unidentified objects detected in Lithuanian airspace, though they were never found.

A fourth incident took place on November 14, when Alliance jets took off to intercept SU-24MR and SU-33 aircraft that were once again flying without flight plans and failing to maintain radio communication—although, in this instance, their radar transponders were activated.

NATO’s Air Policing mission in the Baltic region operates from bases in Lithuania and Estonia and is designed to safeguard the airspace of member states bordering Russia and Belarus.

By Vafa Guliyeva