Over the past week, fighter jets that protect NATO airspace in the Baltic countries took off three times to intercept Russian planes that violated flight rules.
This is reported by the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania.
NATO air police fighter jets took to the skies on August 13 and 16 to detect a Russian Il-20 electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
On August 14, Alliance fighters intercepted a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic missile-carrying bomber and multipurpose fighters of various upgrades, in particular, Su-30, Su-35, and Su-27. In total, 8 Russian planes were recorded on August 14.
All of them were flying with their radar transponders turned off, no radio contact with regional air traffic control and no flight plans.
Russian aviation repeatedly violated the airspace of EU and NATO countries. For example, on April 14, a Russian Su-24 front-line bomber flew to the east of the southern tip of the island of Gotland (Sweden).
- In January of this year, the Ministry of Defense of Estonia informed that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will create a joint line of defense on the border with Russia to "deter and, if necessary, defend against a military threat."
- In June, the Baltic states called on the European Union to allocate money for the construction of a defense line along the border with Russia and Belarus — it is estimated to cost €2.5 billion. The Baltic states say it will "address the acute and urgent need to secure the EU against military and hybrid threats."
Author: Iryna Perepechko