On February 10 – 16, 2020, NATO fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled twice to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On February 13 NATO aircraft conducting air policing tasks in the Baltic states intercepted one AN-26 and one SU-27 flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad. The AN-26 had its onboard transponder off and no flight plan, the crew kept radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The SU-27 had its onboard transponder switched off, no flight plan, and did not maintain radio communication.
On February 15 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one AN-26 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia with its onboard transponder off, according to a pre-filed flight plan, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
Related image, credit: Antanas Giedrimas/Lithuanian Air Force
