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Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on April 24-30, 2023

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2023-05-02
International cooperation

On April 24-30 fighter aircraft conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled seven times to identify and escort aircraft of the Russian Federation flying in violation of flight rules in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

On April 24 fighter aircraft of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission Detachment were scrambled to intercept one IL-20 and two SU-27 aircraft in international airspace flying from Kaliningrad and back. None of the aircraft had pre-filed flight plans, onboard transponders switched on or communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On April 25 NATO air policing fighter jets intercepted one IL-20 and two SU-27s. The IL-20 was flying from Kaliningrad to the mainland of the Russian Federation through international airspace without having pre-filed a flight plan, not using the onboard transponder, though maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The two SU-27 flew out of Kaliningrad into international airspace and then returned. The flight had no plans filed in advance, neither of aircraft had their onboard transponders on, nor did the crews keep radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On April 26 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept two SU-27 en route from and then back to Kaliningrad via international airspace, their onboard switched off, no flight plans, no radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

NATO fighters also intercepted one TU-134 on the same scramble. The aircraft was flying through international airspace from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, without the flight plan, its onboard transponder was switched on and the crew was maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

In addition, NATO fighter jets also identified and escorted one AN-26 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad through international airspace. The flight had no pre-filed plan, the crew kept the onboard transponder on and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On April 27 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one TU-134 flying out of and back to Kaliningrad via international airspace. It had no flight plan, the crew kept the onboard transponder switched on and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On April 28 NATO air policing fighter jets identified and escorted two SU-27s flying into international airspace from Kaliningrad and then heading back, without the flight plans, no onboard transponder signal nor radio communication.

While on the same scramble, NATO fighter jets intercepted one AN-72 on a flight from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad through international airspace. It had no pre-filed plan, the crew was maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre but the onboard transponder was switched off.

On April 28 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort two SU-27s on the way from Kaliningrad into international airspace and then back. There was no plan pre-filed for the flight, aircraft crews did on use the onboard transponders and were not maintaining radio communication.

Other aircraft intercepted in the course of the same scrambled were one AN-72 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without the flight plan, onboard transponder off, through maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre, and one AN-26 en route from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad via international airspace - without a pre-filed fight plan, though maintaining radio communication and with the onboard transponder switched on.

On April 29 NATO air policing fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept two SU-27s flying from the mainland Russia to Kaliningrad without the pre-filed flight plans, not using the onboard transponders and not maintaining radio communication.