Lithuania reports five Russian aircraft intercepted by NATO in last week

Monday, May 2, 2016 - 21:49 (EEST) Section: Latest news

Lithuania has reported that NATO fighter jets conducting the Air Policing Mission in the Baltic States were scrambled five times to intercept military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea from April 25 to April 30, according to Lithuania`s Ministry of National Defense.
On April 26, NATO Baltic Air Policing fighter jets were scrambled from Siauliai Airbase to identify and escort a Su-27 military aircraft of the Russian Federation that had taken off from Kaliningrad, the ministry reported.
The aircraft was flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea without having pre-filed a flight plan, without using onboard transponder, and without maintaining communication with air traffic control centres.
On April 27, fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission from Siauliai Airbase were scrambled to intercept a military aircraft of the Russian Federation en route from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. The NATO fighter jets identified an Il-38 of the Russian Federation flying in accordance with a pre-filed plan, maintaining communication with air traffic control centres, but with onboard transponder switched off.
On April 28, NATO Air Policing fighter aircraft were scrambled from Siauliai twice to intercept military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. NATO fighters identified and escorted an IL-18 of the Russian Federation flying from Kaliningrad without a pre-filed flight plan, not using its onboard transponder, and not maintaining communication with air traffic control centres.
Later, NATO aircraft were scrambled once again to intercept an IL-38 of the Russian Federation. The aircraft was flying towards the mainland Russian Federation from Kaliningrad without a flight plan and without using its onboard transponder but maintained radio communication with air traffic control centres.
On April 29, NATO Air Policing fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort a military aircraft of the Russian Federation flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea away from Kaliningrad towards mainland Russia. NATO fighters identified an IL-20 of the Russian Federation that maintained radio communication with air traffic control centres and was flying in accordance with a pre-filed flight but had its onboard transponder switched off.