Les Rafales étaient engagés sous mission de l’Otan. (Capture d'écran)-@EtatMajorFR-X
This Tuesday, January 21, French Rafales intercepted two Russian planes over the Baltic Sea.
As announced by the Ministry of the Armed Forces on its X account. Two French Rafales intercepted, this Wednesday, under the aegis of NATO, two Russian planes over the Baltic Sea. The latter, “not complying with international air regulations”, were therefore also sent home.
The French Rafales were accompanied by Italian Eurofighter planes during this security mission.
Police du ciel #eAP | Interception par des Rafale 🇫🇷 de deux avions 🇷🇺 au-dessus de la mer Baltique ne se conformant pas aux réglementations aériennes internationales.
➡️ Engagement résolu des armées 🇫🇷 pour la protection de l’espace aérien de l’@OTAN_FR malgré la recrudescence… https://t.co/3XcuXrOsko pic.twitter.com/vc5GUx9p1U
— Armée française – Opérations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) January 21, 2025
Incidents that are piling up
An incident that follows another that occurred during the night of Wednesday 15 to Thursday 16 January. Indeed, a French Navy Atlantic 2 maritime patrol aircraft also flying over the Baltic Sea had been “illuminated” by the fire control radar of a Russian S400 ground-to-air defense system.
“The fact of “illuminating” our aircraft flying in international waters with a radar reflects an aggressive action”, Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesman for the army general staff, explained to AFP. In military language, illumination refers to the act of targeting an objective with a radar. Last step before shooting.