Increased activity of Russian warplanes reported above Baltic Sea near Lithuania

The bulk of the cases of Russian warplanes flying above the Baltic Sea occurred during the Russian Navy Day in the country’s Kaliningrad region, Captain Donatas Suchockis, public relations officer at the Joint Staff, told BNS on Monday.

Over last week, nine Russian warplanes were flying above the Baltic Sea without pre-filed flight plans, with their automatic transponders switched off and without radio communication, including Il-18 on July 20, four Su-34 bombers and four fighter-jets MiG-31 on July 24, the Ministry of National Defence said.

On July 21, NATO jets were scrambled to identify and accompany a Russian reconnaissance airplane Il-20 flying with a pre-filed plan and in contact with the flight control centre, however, with its automatic transponder switched off. On July 25, fighter-jets accompanied a military transport airplane Tu-134 flying without a pre-filed plan and with its transponder switched off, however, in contact with the flight control centre.

Over the period, NATO fighter-jets also accompanied nine military transport airplanes flying in compliance with all communication procedures.

The NATO air-policing mission is performed by Norway and Italy from Šiauliai, northern Lithuania, by the United Kingdom from Estonia and by Belgium from Poland.