On April 19 – 26, fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled four times to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
On April 20 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states intercepted two TU-160 aircraft and two SU-35s flying south over the Baltic Sea from the mainland of the Russian Federation, their onboard transponders were off, none maintained radio communication with the Regional Air Traffic Control Centre. None had the flight plans.
On April 20 NATO aircraft intercepted one A-50 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad and two SU-27s that took off from Kaliningrad, flew over the Baltic Sea and returned to Kaliningrad. None had their onboard transponders on, maintained radio communication, nor had the flight plans.
On April 20 the NATO air policing detachment intercepted two TU-160s and two SU-27s, and two SU-35 that replaced them going back to mainland Russia. None had their onboard transponders on, maintained radio communication, nor had the flight plans.
On April 21 NATO fighter jets intercepted one A-50 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia. Its onboard transponder was off, the crew maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre and had a pre-filed flight plan. The NATO aircraft also intercepted one IL-76 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder on, maintaining radio communication, without the flight plan.
Related image, MoD archive (credit: A. Gedrimas)
