Hungarian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania intercepted a formation of Russian military aircraft approaching NATO airspace on September 25, the alliance said in a statement.
According to NATO, the intercept took place when a five-ship group of Russian aircraft — including one Su-30, one Su-35, and three MiG-31 fighter jets — was detected flying close to allied airspace over the Baltic Sea.
The aircraft were not following international flight safety protocols, prompting a rapid response from the NATO Air Policing mission.
The Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen fighters scrambled from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania and identified the Russian aircraft west of the Latvian coast. After visual identification and escort, the Russian formation turned away, and the Gripens returned safely to base.
The mission is part of NATO’s ongoing Air Policing operation, a collective peacetime effort designed to safeguard the airspace of alliance members. Operating around the clock, the mission ensures a rapid response to any unauthorized or potentially dangerous military activity near NATO territory.
NATO Air Policing has been a crucial element of the alliance’s deterrence posture in the Baltic region, where allied fighter jets regularly intercept Russian military aircraft flying without flight plans, transponders, or radio contact with civilian air traffic controllers.
The latest intercept comes amid ongoing tensions in the region and frequent encounters between NATO and Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. Alliance officials have emphasized that such missions are routine but necessary to maintain the security and integrity of NATO airspace.