On October 28 – November 3 NATO fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states carried out 5 alert scrambles to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On October 29 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one TU-134 and two SU-35s. The TU-134 was flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, according to a pre-filed flight plan, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-35 were escorting the TU-134 – they took off from and later returned to mainland Russia, with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans, without maintaining radio contact.
On October 30 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one SU-27 and one SU-30.Both took off from Kaliningrad and returned to Kaliningrad, they came to meet one TU-134 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. Neither Su-27 nor SU-30 had their onboard transponders on, flight plans, or maintained radio communication.
On October 31 NATO air policing fighter aircraft intercepted one TU-214, two SU-35 and two SU-27. The TU-214 was flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, according to a pre-filed flight plan, kept the radio communication. The SU-35s were escorting the TU-214, they took off from and later returned to mainland Russia, with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans, without maintaining radio contact. The two SU-27 took over the escort of the TU-214, they took off from and returned to Kaliningrad, with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans, without maintaining radio contact.
On October 31 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one TU-214 and two SU-35s. The TU-214 was flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia with its onboard transponder on, according to a pre-filed flight plan, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-35 met the TU-214 – they took off from and later returned to mainland Russia, with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans, without maintaining radio contact.
On October 31 NATO air policing fighter aircraft intercepted one SU-27 flying from and back to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, without the flight plan, without keeping radio contact.
Related image, credit: Antanas Giedrimas
