Last week, on 16-22 June, NATO jets conducting the Baltic Air Policing Mission in Lithuania were scrambled 7 times to identify and escort Russian military aircraft that violated international airspace.
The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence reports that on 16 June NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify Russia’s SU-24MR and SU-30SM aircraft flying in international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation, to which they returned.
TU-134 flying from Kaliningrad region to the mainland of the Russian Federation was identified as well. On 17 June, NATO jets took off to identify one TU-142 and two SU-30. Russian planes were flying in international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation and back.
On the same day, NATO jets took off to identify one TU-134, which was flying in international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad region. On 18 June, NATO jets were scrambled to identify one TU-214, flying in international airspace from Kaliningrad to the mainland of the Russian Federation.
Two SU-27, flying in international airspace from Kaliningrad region and back, were also identified. On the same day, two more Russian aircraft SU-30 were detected, flying in international airspace from the mainland of the Russian Federation and back. NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission was launched in March 2004, when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined the Alliance.
