Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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NATO fighters intercept Russian Su-24 operating from Kaliningrad without transponder, flight plan or radio contact.

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On 26 September 2026, NATO Baltic Air Policing fighters intercepted a Russian Su-24 tactical aircraft flying from Kaliningrad Oblast into international airspace before returning to the exclave. The aircraft operated without a pre-filed flight plan and with its radar transponder switched off, while the crew did not maintain radio communication with regional air-traffic control. NATO aircraft therefore scrambled to identify and monitor the flight. Lithuanian reporting does not indicate that the Su-24 entered Lithuanian or other NATO sovereign airspace, nor does it report weapons employment or an unsafe encounter with civilian aircraft.

Occurrence
Publication
First observed
Review status
Not assessed
Countries
Lithuania, Poland
Updated

Attribution

Official

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    Discovery lead
    Publication

    On 26 September 2026, NATO Baltic Air Policing fighters intercepted a Russian Su-24 tactical aircraft flying from Kaliningrad Oblast into international airspace before returning to the exclave. The aircraft operated without a pre-filed flight plan and with its radar transponder switched off, while the crew did not maintain radio communication with regional air-traffic control. NATO aircraft therefore scrambled to identify and monitor the flight. Lithuanian reporting does not indicate that the Su-24 entered Lithuanian or other NATO sovereign airspace, nor does it report weapons employment or an unsafe encounter with civilian aircraft.