On April 20–26 the NATO Air Policing in the Baltic states Detachment was alerted in response to international flight regulation violations five times.
On April 20 the NATO fighter jets safeguarding the Baltic airspace were scrambled to intercept two TU-22, two SU-30 and two SU-35 flying from mainland Russia and back via international airspace without using their onboard transponders, without the pre-filed flight plans, and without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On April 20 NATO fighter aircraft identified and escorted two TU-22, two SU-30 and two SU-35 flying through international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation and back without using their onboard transponders, without the pre-filed flight plans, and not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On April 20 the NATO air policing aircraft were dispatched in response to one SU-30S flying from Kaliningrad and back via international airspace. Is crew kept the on-board transponder switched off, had no pre-filed flight plan and was not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control.
On April 21 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one IL-20 flying through international airspace from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. Its onboard transponder was switched off, the crew had no pre-filed flight plan but were maintaining radio communication.
On April 22 NATO fighter aircraft identified and escorted two SU-30s en route between two locations in Kaliningrad. Their onboard transponders were switched off, the crews had not flight plans and were not maintaining radio communication. On the same scramble, the Allied aircraft also intercepted one IL-18 flying through international airspace from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. Its onboard transponder as switched off, the crew had no flight plan but were maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
