NATO jets in Baltics scrambled twice over Russian aircraft last week

NATO's fighter-jets policing Baltic airspace were last week scrambled twice to intercept Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in violation of flight rules, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

On Thursday, November 4, an alert scramble was conducted over an IL-78 refueling aircraft of the Russian Federation flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without a flight plan, using the onboard transponder and keeping radio contact with the regional air traffic control center.

On Friday, November 5, NATO fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an IL-76 military plane flying without a pre-filed flight plan and without using its onboard transponder. The aircraft maintain radio communication with the regional traffic control center, however.

The NATO Baltic air-policing mission is carried out from air bases in Lithuania and Estonia.