NATO Reconnaissance Aircraft Spotted Near Kaliningrad for Second Time in August
A NATO reconnaissance aircraft has been observed near Russia's Kaliningrad Region for the second time in August, according to a source in European Union air traffic control services cited by TASS. The Bombardier Artemis II was reported circling the region while operating in Polish and Lithuanian airspace and over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.
The aircraft, which is based at an airfield in Constanta, Romania, was first spotted on a similar route on August 4, when it was observed several times in the airspace of the Baltic states, including off Estonia's Gulf of Finland coast, without approaching areas bordering Russia and Belarus. During the latest incident, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of about 11 kilometers, including through corridors designated for civil aviation, the source said.
Separately, the Polish Armed Forces reported that a pair of Polish Air Force fighter jets were scrambled for the second time in two days to escort a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on the X social media platform that the incident occurred 56 kilometers northwest of the Polish coastal city of Koszalin.
The Polish military reported four similar incidents involving Russian aircraft in July.
In response to these reports, the Russian Defense Ministry has previously stated that all Russian military flights are conducted in strict compliance with international airspace regulations.
TASS, a Russian state news agency, reported both incidents. The reports did not provide additional details on the purpose or duration of the flights.