The German Air Force reported Wednesday that several Russian fighter jets have been intercepted in international airspace over the Baltic Sea amid rising tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
»Reconnaissance aircraft have been intercepted. German and UK Eurofighter fighters have identified three Russian military aircraft,» the German Air Force said in a Twitter message.
Thus, it has specified that they are two SU-27 fighters and an IL-20, all Russian, and has disseminated several images of the aircraft. »These Russian aircraft have again overflown the area without transponder signals,» it has pointed out.
Sources close to the matter have reaffirmed in declarations to Europa Press that the planes in question »did not emit a transponder signal and neither had they filed a flight plan», as indicated by international air safety regulations.
Countries such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, also NATO members, do not have their own fighters, so the military alliance has been responsible for ensuring airspace safety in northeastern Europe since 2004.
The allies generally deploy fighter jets and other aircraft over the Baltic over states bordering Russia and intercept military and civilian aircraft that do not respect international flight rules.
In early April, the German Army handed over the NATO airspace monitoring mission to the United Kingdom, although it continues to provide support to the British Air Force.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
