On February 15 – 21 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 February 17 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled to intercept an IL-22 of the Russian Federation flying in international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad. The onboard transponder of the aircraft was on, the crew kept radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre and had a pre-filed flight plan. The IL-22 was escorting two SU-35 aircraft that returned to mainland Russia and met two Su-27s of the Russian Federation flying from Kaliningrad. None of the four had flight plans, kept radio contact, or used the onboard transponders.
On February 17 the NATO Air Policing fighter aircraft intercepted one Su-24 of the Russian Federation flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad with its onboard transponder off, without maintaining the radio communication, according to a pre-filed flight plan.
On February 18 the NATO Air Policing fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-22 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia with its onboard transponder off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre, according to a pre-filed flight plan. The IL-22 was escorting two Su-27 aircraft that returned to Kaliningrad and met two SU-35s flying from the mainland Russia. The aircraft had no flight plans, their onboard transponders were off, the crews did not keep the radio communication.
On February 19 the NATO Air Policing aircraft intercepted two IL-78 and Tu-134 flying in international airspace from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia. Both had their onboard transponders on, maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre, had pre-filed flight plans.
Illustrative image (MoD archive)
