BRUSSELS, December 29. /TASS/. This year, NATO states scrambled their jet planes to detect and escort Russian planes for 300 times, with the majority of episodes taking place over the Baltic Sea, the NATO press office reported. In 2022, this number stood to 570 sorties, meaning that NATO aviation activity has decreased almost twice.

"In 2023, NATO air forces across Europe scrambled well over 300 times to intercept Russian military aircraft approaching Alliance airspace, with most intercepts occurring over the Baltic Sea. NATO has standing air-policing missions that calls for Allied jets to scramble when there are signs of Russian military planes approaching Allied airspace in unpredictable ways," the alliance’s press office said in its statement.

During peacetime, the "interception" term means that planes approach each other for visual contact, recognition of type and state and for further escort through the neutral airspace.

NATO also complained in its statement that Russian planes do not turn on their transponders while flying in neutral airspace near member states’ borders. Meanwhile, NATO planes adhere to the same tactic while flying close to Russian borders.

The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that Russian military planes’ flights to the Kaliningrad Region and back take place in strict compliance with international air law.