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A Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea region has prompted fighter jets from several NATO countries to be deployed.<\/p>\n
Interceptors from northern Germany, Sweden and the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission took off to secure the alliance’s airspace and escort the Russian IL-20M maritime reconnaissance aircraft out of the area, the German Air Force announced on Saturday on the platform X.<\/p>\n
“The aircraft was flying without a flight plan and contact with civilian air traffic control,” it added.<\/p>\n
Russia uses international airspace for military flights in accordance with applicable aviation law.<\/p>\n
However, the German Armed Forces have said that Russian military aircraft almost always fly without an identification signal from their transponders, which makes them invisible to civilian air traffic control.<\/p>\n
The flights bring Russian aircraft close to NATO airspace without actually violating it. It is presumed that Moscow uses the flights to test the alliance’s reactions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n