NATO airforce jets identified Russian jets violating flight rules (Image: Getty)
NATO fighter jets scrambled to airspace near the borders of the Baltic States to escort a Russian aircraft violating flight rules, according to the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania.
NATO policing jets took off four times in between April 13 and 19 to identify and remove the Russian aircraft.
On April 13, the planes flew to identify the IL-20 aircraft.
It was flying in international airspace from the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation to the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation.
However, without a transponder turned on, a flight plan, and no maintenance of radio communication with the Regional Air Traffic Control Center (RATC), the jet violated flight rules.
Another aircraft was also identified by NATO, an AN-26.
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The Ministry of National Defence noted that this aircraft did have a transponder turned on and was communicating via radio but also had no flight plan.
The following day, on April 14, NATO air policing jets flew to identify the IL-20 aircraft.
On April 15, NATO took to the skies again to identify two SU-30SM aircrafts.
These aircrafts were also flying the same route to and from Russia and again violated the flight rules.
NATO fighter jets took off again on April 17 and flew to identify the IL-20 aircraft.
The Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania said this jet violated flight rules, travelling in international airspace without its transponder turned on, without a flight plan, and did not maintain radio contact with the RSVC.
The jet was travelling from the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation to the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation.
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It comes as the Russian defence ministry TV channel Zvezda admitted that NATO fighters monitored bombers that flew a four-hour mission over international waters.
“At certain stages of the route, the aircraft were escorted by fighter jets from foreign states,” said the report. “All flights are conducted in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.”
The journeys took place as allegations have been made that Finland and Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have allowed their airspace to be used by Ukrainian drones attacking key Russian oil ports.
Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the Russian security council, warned of Russia’s “inherent right” to self defence.
Shoigu reportedly made a “final” warning, with Putin’s authority, that the Baltic states should not make the “mistake” of acting with “impunity” against Russia.
