Hungarian Fighters Intercept Five Russian Aircraft over the Baltic Sea: A Demonstration of NATO’s Military Readiness
On September 25, during a routine Baltic Air Policing mission out of Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, two Hungarian JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets responded swiftly to a Russian aerial incursion near the Baltic states’ airspace.
NATO’s air command reported seeing three Russian MiG-31 aircraft along with Su-30 and Su-35 fighters flying close to Latvian borders without flight plans or radio communication.
In response, NATO scrambled two American and two Hungarian fighters to intercept these aircraft and monitor the situation closely.
This incident underscores NATO’s commitment to maintaining security in the Baltics and reinforcing eastern flank defenses.According to NATO, the Russian jets were observed flying near the borders of Latvia, posing no immediate threat but prompting rapid military response.
NATO officials emphasized that such actions highlight the alliance’s high alertness and capacity to react promptly to emerging threats.
Just a day earlier, on September 24, NORAD detected four Russian aircraft—the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers and Su-35 fighters—near Alaska’s coast.
Though these aircraft did not breach North American airspace, they were monitored and accompanied by U.S.
and Canadian fighters, further illustrating ongoing tensions in the northern airspace and NATO’s readiness to defend its territories.