On May 20–26 NATO fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled two times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On May 24 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one AN-12 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, according to a pre-filed flight plan, keeping radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On May 26 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-76 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder on, without the flight plan, keeping the radio communication.
Related photo, credit: Filip Modrzejewski
