German Eurofighters scramble over the Baltic

On Sunday, German Eurofighter jets were scrambled over the Baltic Sea to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft, German media outlet Bild reported, later confirmed by the Luftwaffe. The aircraft was flying over international waters but had failed to file a flight plan or maintain radio contact.

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22 september 2025   |   10:00   |   Source: Gazeta Morska / PAP   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. Bundeswehr

- Our quick reaction alert force, consisting of two Eurofighters, was tasked by NATO to investigate an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in international airspace. It turned out to be a Russian reconnaissance plane, the Il-20M. After visual identification, we handed over the escort duty to our Swedish NATO partners and returned to Rostock-Laage, the German Air Force said in an official statement, cited by Handelsblatt.

Estonian airspace violated

The incident comes amid an uptick in Russian aerial provocations in the Baltic region. On Friday morning, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland, remaining there for around 12 minutes.

In response, Estonia requested consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The North Atlantic Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday to discuss the breach and potential responses.

Low pass over Polish offshore platform

Also on Friday, Poland’s Border Guard reported that two Russian fighter jets conducted a low-altitude flyover of Petrobaltic’s offshore oil and gas platform in the southern Baltic Sea. The move has been interpreted as another pressure tactic targeting NATO’s maritime infrastructure.

NATO’s highest decision-making body

The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s principal decision-making authority, includes representatives of all member states. It can escalate matters from ambassadorial consultations to meetings of defense or foreign ministers, and in critical cases, heads of state or government. The Council holds the mandate to shape both political and military responses to such incidents.

Baltic Sea at the core of tensions

The series of events underscores the Baltic Sea’s position as a hotspot of NATO-Russia tensions. With repeated violations of airspace and aggressive maneuvers near critical infrastructure, the security of maritime routes and offshore assets is becoming an increasingly urgent concern for the Alliance.

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rosyjskie samoloty nad Bałtykiem przechwycenie Ił-20M incydenty NATO Rosja naruszenie przestrzeni powietrznej Estonii bezpieczeństwo Morza Bałtyckiego

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