NATO fighter jets were mobilized to patrol airspace near the borders of the Baltic States in response to a Russian aircraft violating flight regulations, as reported by Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence.
Between April 13 and 19, NATO policing aircraft were deployed four times to intercept Russian planes. On April 13, jets were sent out to identify an IL-20 aircraft flying through international airspace between the Kaliningrad region of Russia.
The aircraft was found to be non-compliant as it lacked a transponder, a flight plan, and failed to communicate with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre (RATC). Another aircraft, an AN-26, was also intercepted by NATO, although it had an active transponder and maintained radio contact but was flying without a flight plan.
Subsequent interceptions on April 14 and 15 involved NATO jets intercepting IL-20 and SU-30SM aircraft violating flight regulations on similar routes to and from Russia. A further interception of the IL-20 aircraft occurred on April 17, with the plane once again breaching aviation regulations by flying without a transponder, a filed flight plan, and radio contact with the RSVC.
Separately, the Russian defense ministry’s TV channel Zvezda acknowledged that NATO fighter jets shadowed bombers during a four-hour flight over international waters, stating that all flights were conducted in accordance with international airspace rules.
These incidents occurred amidst allegations that Finland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania allowed Ukrainian drones to use their airspace to target Russian oil ports. Sergei Shoigu, the Russian security council secretary, warned of Russia’s right to self-defense and issued a stern caution, endorsed by Putin, to the Baltic states against acting with impunity towards Russia.
