Six Russian military aircraft were intercepted over the Baltic Sea this week after NATO scrambled fighter jets as part of an air policing mission. The NATO Air Command confirmed that two French fighters departed from the Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania on Tuesday, alongside two Swedish planes, to conduct several interceptions involving Russian aircraft operating within the Baltic Area of Responsibility.
Russian Aircraft Intercepted
The intercepted Russian aircraft included a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter, an Ilyushin Il-76 airlifter, a Sukhoi Su-24 tactical bomber, a Sukhoi Su-34 medium bomber, an Antonov An-12 transport aircraft, and an Antonov An-30 reconnaissance plane. Images released by NATO showed French jets patrolling the skies above the Baltic region.
Baltic Air Policing Mission
The Baltic Air Policing Mission is a NATO operation designed to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through rotating deployments of fighter jets. Aircraft are scrambled to intercept unidentified or non-compliant aircraft that enter the zone without flight plans or radio contact.
France's armed forces spokesperson, Guillaume Vernet, stated on Thursday that French planes had been scrambled 11 times over the past week as part of the mission. He described the incursions as a higher-than-usual number of provocations, suggesting that Moscow might be flexing its muscles during the same week it hosted its annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Growing Concerns Over Airspace Violations
These incidents follow a series of cases where military drones strayed into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, raising fears that the war in Ukraine could spill over into NATO's northern borders with Russia. Vernet noted that the French detachment intercepted Russian military aircraft flying without flight plans or radio contact, including armed fighter jets, intelligence planes, and transport aircraft.
French Navy Intercepts Sanctioned Tanker
In a separate operation, the French navy intercepted a sanctioned tanker linked to the Russian oil trade in the Atlantic Ocean this week. The vessel, named Tagor, was ordered to head for the French mainland. French President Emmanuel Macron posted a video on social media showing commandos rappelling from helicopters onto the tanker during an operation in international waters 400 miles west of Brittany. Macron stated that it is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance Russia's war against Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by saying Russia considers such actions illegal and bordering on international piracy. He added that Russia would take measures to ensure the safety of shipping cargo in response to the incident. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the French action as another example of European legal nihilism and rewriting rules for their own benefit.
