According to the press service, the Russian plane performed a routine training flight from the Khrabrovo airfield in the Russian westernmost Kaliningrad region over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.
The flight was made in strict compliance with international rule of the use of air space, the ministry stressed.
Earlier on Wednesday, the General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces said that a Russian Ilyushin-20 reconnaissance plane had violated Estonia’s air space on Tuesday.
The Estonian military claim that the Russian aircraft stayed in Estonia’s air space for about one minute and penetrated into the Estonian territory by 500 metres. This incident was allegedly registered by the Estonian air traffic control centre. “The aircraft had no mission plan, its transponder was switched off. The plane did not come into radio contact with the Estonian Air Transport Service,” the General Staff said.
Portuguese fighter jets F-16, which are currently deployed at Lithuania’s Zokniai air base under the rotation of NATO member states to protect the air space of the three Baltic states, were scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft. In was reported that they had seen the Il-20 over neutral waters.
[itar-tass.com]
22/10/14
--
-
Related:
Obama urges NATO to send message of support to Ukraine/Remarks by President Obama to the People of Estonia
Obama Arrives in Estonia to Reassure Baltic States (VOA News)
NATO to increase presence in eastern Europe (the right forces and the right equipment in the right place)
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
A Russian spy plane has been intercepted by Nato jets over the Baltic Sea, the alliance says, amid heightened tensions in the region....
ReplyDeleteEstonia summoned Russia's ambassador on Wednesday after its military said the Ilyushin-20 plane had entered its airspace for about a minute.
But Russia said the plane had been on a training flight and had not violated Estonian airspace.
Russia has been accused of several recent border violations in the region.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine, which the West says Russia has stoked by supporting the rebels, has prompted sanctions against senior figures in Moscow and bans on EU goods in response.
In the past week, non-Nato member Sweden has been searching for a submarine reportedly sighted in its waters in the southern Stockholm archipelago some 48km (30 miles) from the capital. The suspected submarine is widely assumed to be Russian.
Last month, Estonia accused Russia of abducting one of its security officials on the border...........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29736481
23/10/14