NATO jets scrambled five times from Lithuania last week
On 18 March, the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission Detachment aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort one IL-20 flying from Kaliningrad into international airspace and then back. It had no pre-filed flight plan, the onboard transponder was switched off and the crew was not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On 19 March, the NATO air policing fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one IL-76 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia in international airspace. It had no flight plan, the onboard transponder was on and the crew was maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.
On 19 March, the NATO fighter jets identified and escorted one IL-20 flying from Kaliningrad and back through international airspace. It had no pre-filed flight plan, the onboard transponder was off, no radio contact.
On 19 March, the NATO Air Policing fighter jets were scrambled to intercept one SU-24MR flying in international airspace from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without the flight plan, its onboard transponder off, not maintaining radio communication.
On 21 March, the NATO fighter jets identified and escorted one IL-20. It was flying in international airspace from Kaliningrad to the mainland of the Russian Federation without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder off, not maintaining radio communication.