By Kyle Herda
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
LISBON, Portugal – Russian jets, bombers, and fueling planes continue to violate the airspaces of many NATO countries, and the severity of the violations is increasing in number and intensity.
On October 21, 2014, a Russian Ilyushin-20, a spy plane, flew for about a minute in Estonian airspace before fighters from Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden intercepted. On October 28, 2014, seven Russian combat aircraft flew over the Baltic Sea and were initially intercepted by German fighters near Finland. Instead of turning back, the Russian aircraft pushed further, and were additionally intercepted by Danish, Swedish, and Finnish aircraft.
On October 29, 19 Russian aircraft in 3 separate formations were intercepted over the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and North Sea leading a chase into the Atlantic Ocean. Portuguese fighter jets intercepted seven Russian jets over the Baltic Sea, and at the same time Turkish fighters intercepted two Russian bombers and two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea. Later that day, eight Russian aircraft were initially intercepted by English RAF over the North Sea, at which point some of the Russian aircraft returned to Russia but two bombers pushed towards the Atlantic. The final two bombers were once again intercepted over the Atlantic by Portuguese aircraft.
Reports also came out recently about a simulated Russian attack in June 2014 of the Danish island Bornholm. This simulated attack occurred while 90,000 people were attending a political festival, and the Russian aircraft were equipped with live missiles. On March 29, 2013, a similar run was performed with two Tu-22M3 Backfire Russian heavy bombers and four SU-27 Flanker fighter jets around Sweden.
U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, the supreme allied commander in Europe, has called the more recent Russian incursions “a larger, more complex formation of aircraft carrying out a little deeper, … more provocative flight path.” Breedlove believes that these incursions have been a message from Russia to NATO that Russia is “a great power”.
As long as these incursions continue, and especially the more intense flight patterns and flight paths, relations with NATO and countries around the world will remain low with Russia and becoming increasingly pressed.
For more information, please see:
Business Insider – Here Are The ‘Complex’ Russian Air Incursions That NATO Is So Concerned About – 3 November 2014
Reuters – NATO commander: Russia’s incursions in European airspace ‘more provocative’ – 3 November 2014
The Examiner – World War 3 trial run: Russia simulates attack on Denmark, stimulates war fears – 2 November 2014
The Inquisitr – World War 3: Russia Simulated Attack On Denmark, Could Be Preparing European Invasion – 31 October 2014
