RAF Intercepts Russian Jets Over Baltics: two SU-30MKI and Il-20M

British Typhoon fighters deployed to the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission conducted three intercepts of Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea region last week, the UK RAF (Royal Air Force) said in a statement.

On April 15, RAF Typhoons were scrambled twice — first to identify an Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft and later to intercept two Su-30MKI fighter jets.

A third intercept took place on April 17, again involving an Il-20M.

According to the RAF, the aircraft were intercepted due to flying without active transponders and approaching NATO airspace, which poses a risk to civilian aviation and violates international norms.

Such flights are often assessed as intelligence-gathering missions or attempts at provocation.

NATO Baltic Air Policing

Baltic Air Policing is a NATO mission established in 2004 to safeguard the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

After these countries joined the Alliance, an operation was launched to protect their airspace, which is part of the single NATO space.

The reason was the limited capabilities of the national air forces of the Baltic states to ensure constant control over their own airspace.

The Baltic Air Policing mission is carried out in turn by different NATO member states.

The permanent base of the operation is the First Lithuanian Air Base, located at Šiauliai International Airport. Since 2014, another permanent base has been added to the mission – Ämari Air Base in Estonia.