Six Russian aircraft were spotted near Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia over the Baltic Sea, prompting authorities to deploy four Rafale B fighters as part of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing Mission
French fighter jets have been dispatched to intercept Russian aircraft believed to be heavily armed, which were approaching NATO airspace.
Six Russian planes were detected near Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia over the Baltic Sea, prompting authorities to deploy four Rafale B fighters as part of an “enhanced Air Policing Mission”. The high-stakes operations were launched from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, where France is leading NATO’s air policing efforts.
Video footage released by the French military depicts Rafale fighter jets tracking a Su-30SM fighter and a Russian Il-20M electronic intelligence aircraft. Experts believe these aircraft may have been armed with Kh-31P or Kh-31PM anti-radiation missiles.
Such weaponry is typically deployed against radar and air defence systems. During these operations, the French Rafales reportedly utilised Thales Talios targeting pods, reports the Mirror.
While primarily designed for attack missions, these systems boast long-range visual identification capabilities, enabling pilots to safely evaluate potential threats from a distance.
These operations form part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, which seeks to safeguard the integrity of Baltic airspace.
Meanwhile, concerns are escalating that Russia is laying the groundwork for military aggression against the West in the Baltic, potentially sparking World War Three.
The Kremlin has issued a “final warning” to four NATO nations it accuses of permitting Ukrainian drones to cross their airspace to target crucial oil port locations near St Petersburg.
Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Vladimir Putin’s security council, alluded to Russia’s “inherent right” to self-defence, suggesting Moscow could initiate military strikes against Finland, Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.
All four countries have vehemently denied granting Ukraine permission to utilise their airspace – yet Russia continues to reiterate this “bogus” claim and could use it as an excuse to attack these states, all of which fall under NATO’s article 5 collective defence umbrella.
The caution from army general Shoigu – the individual who, as then defence minister, spearheaded Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – was coordinated with Putin, according to sources in Moscow.
This follows Russia issuing warnings to Finland about allowing nuclear weapons on its territory, and Western apprehensions that Putin could be plotting to seize one of four Baltic Sea islands belonging to Estonia, Sweden or Denmark in a test of NATO’s unity and capacity to react to overt aggression.