In recent days, NATO forces have been on high alert as Russian Federation aircraft have been intercepted near the airspace of various member countries. These incidents are reminders of the continuing friction between Russia and the NATO alliance, highlighting the ongoing geopolitical struggle and the state of military readiness on both sides.
According to the Polish RSZ Operational Command’s post on X, “On May 6, 2024, a MiG-29 duty pair from the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork intercepted and visually identified a Russian Federation aircraft. The fighters intercepted an II-20 (Ilyushin) plane that took off from an airport in the Królewiec Oblast and continued its flight in international space over the Baltic Sea, performing a reconnaissance mission, without violating Polish territorial waters.” This follows an earlier incident on May 3, wherein Polish F-16 jets from the 31st Tactical Air Base in Krzesiny intercepted the same Russian plane.
“Protection of Polish airspace is the foundation of our country’s security. Thanks to the efficient operation of ground staff and aircraft crews, we can be sure that we are protected against airborne threats,” stated the Operational Command, reaffirming the commitment to intercept any potential threat.
On April 26, German Eurofighter jets stationed at Laage Air Base were dispatched to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea. The NATO air forces in Europe had scrambled over 300 times to intercept Russian aircraft approaching NATO airspace in 2023 alone, mostly over the Baltic Sea.
Last week, Japan’s defense ministry stated that Japanese fighter jets were deployed twice due to suspected reconnaissance actions by Russian military aircraft. Among the aircraft involved was reportedly a Russian Air Force Il-20M intelligence-gathering plane.
Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defense showed a U.S. F-16 fighter jet tracking Russian military aircraft, flying over the Bering Sea near Alaskan airspace. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that Russian aircraft did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace but had been tracked in the Alaska ADIZ.
According to the Russian ministry, two Tu-95 strategic missile carriers were conducting a routine flight near the western coast of a U.S. state. Throughout the flight, Russian Su-30 jets escorted the two missile carriers, which were occasionally joined by fighter jets from other nations, the ministry disclosed.
Relevant articles:
– Russian Plane Intercepted Near NATO Country, Newsweek, 05/08/2024
– Polish fighter jets scramble to intercept Russian aircraft over Baltic Sea, Ukrainska Pravda, 05/07/2024
– Russia’s Mach 2.82 MiG-31 Fighter Is Making a Historic Comeback, The National Interest Online, 05/07/2024