On February 14 – 20 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled three times to intercept military aircraft of the Russian Federation in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea that were flying in violation of international aviation flight rules.
On February 16 the NATO Baltic Air Policing detachment intercepted two SU-27s, two SU-35s and one IL-22. The IL-22 was flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder on, without a pre-filed flight plan, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-35s were flying from and back to the mainland of the Russian Federation without using their onboard transponders, without the flight plans and without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-27s were flying from and back to Kaliningrad with their onboard transponders off, without the flight plans, without maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On February 18 the NATO air policing fighter aircraft intercepted one TU-154 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, its onboard transponder was switched on, the flight had a pre-filed plan and the crew maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On February 18 the NATO air policing detachment intercepted two SU-27s and one IL-22 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia. The IL-22 was using the onboard transponder, had the flight plan and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-27s had their onboard transponders off, had no flight plans, did not maintain the radio communication. The aircraft returned to Kaliningrad.
