NATO allies have intercepted a third Russian aircraft this week—and again with its transponder turned off as it approached sovereign airspace.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department by submission form and NATO by email on Friday morning for comment.
Why It Matters
NATO nations near the Russian border have accused their eastern neighbor of violating their airspace over the past two months, Lithuania and Estonia each reporting Russian planes in their airspace, unauthorized.
Russia has insisted that none of its planes have violated the borders of other states, and that planes are carrying out planned training flights.
However, the airspace agitations, in addition to several incidents of drones and “smuggling balloons” appearing in their airspace, have prompted some NATO members to invoke Article Four, which leads to members calling for formal talks about potential threats to “them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties.”
What To Know
Two Polish MiG fighters on Friday morning local time scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance plane that flew over the Baltic Sea without a filled flight plan and its transponder deactivated, according to Operational Command.
However, Poland stressed that its planes handled the situation capably and effectively, and that there was no further cause for concern.
“We thank the Air Force for their professionalism, vigilance, and exemplary execution of the mission, which once again demonstrates the high level of training and determination in defending the security of the Republic of Poland,” Polish Operational Command of the Armed Forces wrote in a post on X.
The statement also made clear that the Russian plane did not violate Polish airspace, but that Poland remains “in full combat readiness and effectively responds to all provocative actions by the Russian Federation.”
NATO says Russian aircraft traveling to and from Kaliningrad often skirt near NATO airspace without using transponders, but in those cases they have filled a flight plan or interact with air traffic control.
The Polish fighters escorted the Russian plane out of the area “in accordance with NATO procedures.”
