Russia sends more fighters to probe NATO airspace, Hungarian JAS 39 Gripens scramble to intercept Su-35 and MiG-31 jets

Russia escalated aerial tensions with NATO this week as Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen fighters scrambled from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania to intercept a Russian formation flying near Latvian airspace. The intercept, part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, came just days after Russian long-range bombers and escorts carried out a high-profile patrol near Alaska, underscoring Moscow’s intent to showcase its reach on both sides of the globe.

According to NATO’s Allied Air Command, the Russian group included a Su-30, a Su-35, and three MiG-31 fighters, a pattern the Alliance warns is unsafe and potentially destabilizing. NATO stressed that while the aircraft approached closely, they did not violate allied airspace.

Hungarian Gripens visually identified and shadowed the Russian aircraft until they departed the area. “NATO Air Policing is a routine peacetime mission that ensures the safety and integrity of Alliance airspace” NATO officials said.


The Baltic scramble followed the detection of two Russian Tu-95MS long-range strategic bombers and two Su-35 fighters operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), an international airspace bordering U.S. and Canadian sovereign territory and Estonia’s formal protest on 19 September, when three Russian MiG-31s briefly entered its airspace, remaining foraround twelve minutes before being tracked out. Tallinn summoned Moscow’s ambassador, while NATO called the violation “unacceptable”,

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its Tu-95MS bombers conducted a 14-hour patrol over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk, escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters with air-to-air refueling. “All flights are carried out in strict compliance with international airspace regulations,” the ministry said, adding that foreign fighters escorted its bombers during parts of the mission.

The near-simultaneous Russian operations — long-range bomber patrols near Alaska and aggressive fighter activity near the Baltics — point to a coordinated show of force meant to challenge NATO’s eastern flank while reminding Washington of Moscow’s global reach.

For NATO, the incidents reinforce the role of its Baltic Air Policing mission, established in 2004, which relies on rotating allied air forces to secure the skies of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Hungary currently leads the rotation from Šiauliai.

The message on both sides is clear: Russia is determined to assert its military presence along NATO’s borders, while the Alliance is equally committed to defending its airspace. With intercepts now occurring across both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, the risk of miscalculation remains dangerously high.

FAQs

Q: Did Russian jets actually violate NATO airspace?
A: No. NATO confirmed that while the Russian fighters approached closely, they did not cross into allied airspace.

Q: Why did Hungarian Gripens respond?
A: Hungary is currently leading NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission from Šiauliai, Lithuania. Member states rotate responsibility for protecting Baltic skies, as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania do not have fighter aircraft of their own.

Q: What happened in Alaska?
A: Russia sent Tu-95MS long-range bombers on a 14-hour patrol over the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk, escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters. U.S. and allied fighters escorted them at stages of the mission. Russia said the flights were conducted in full compliance with international airspace rules.

Q: Why are these flights considered provocative if they are legal?
A: Although such flights take place in international airspace, Russian military aircraft often fly without transponders or flight plans, creating safety risks. NATO and U.S. officials view them as deliberate tests of readiness and political resolve.

Q: What is NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission?
A: It is a permanent NATO operation, established in 2004, to secure Baltic skies. Rotational deployments from member states ensure constant protection, since the Baltic nations lack their own combat aircraft.