On April 12 – 18, fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled five times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On April 13 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states intercepted one IL-76 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder on, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center.
On April 13 the NATO Air Policing detachment intercepted one AN-12 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, according to a pre-filed flight plan, without using the onboard transponder, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center.
On April 14 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one AN-26 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, without the flight plan, without using the onboard transponder, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center.
On April 16 NATO air policing fighter jets intercepted one AN-26 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control center. In the course of the same scramble, the fighter jets also intercepted one IL-76 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder on, maintaining the radio contact.
On April 17 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one A-50 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, without the flight plan, without using the onboard transponder, maintaining the radio communication.
Related image, MoD archive (credit: A. Gedrimas)
