NATO jets scrambled twice over last week to accompany Russian planes

According to Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defense, no violations of the Baltic airspace were reported.

NATO fighter jets identified and escorted one Su-24 bomber flying from Kaliningrad in the direction of mainland Russia without having pre-filed a flight plan, not using its onboard transponder and not maintaining radio communication. Another intercepted Russian aircraft was an An-26 light transport plane which was traveling according to a pre-filed flight plan, had its onboard transponder switched off but maintained radio communication with air traffic control centre.

NATO officials say Russian planes fling with their transponders switched off pose threat to civil aviation.