NATO reconnaissance aircraft flying over Black Sea has relocated to Baltic states
The aircraft is currently cruising over Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia at an altitude of approximately 10.5 kilometers
MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. A NATO Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II reconnaissance and target acquisition aircraft, which was observed over the Black Sea the previous day, has now been redeployed to the Baltic region and is actively operating within its airspace, according to a source within EU air traffic control circles cited by TASS.
"The reconnaissance aircraft, previously seen over international waters of the Black Sea on Thursday, is now conducting flights over the Baltic states, moving from south to north and back," the source explained. The aircraft reportedly departed from its main base in Constanta, Romania, and is currently cruising over Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia at an altitude of approximately 10.5 kilometers.
"The flight path remains well clear of border areas with Russia and Belarus, though the turnaround point is near the coast of the Gulf of Finland on the Estonian side," the source added.
He noted that earlier this week, the Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II circumnavigated the Kaliningrad Region for two consecutive days, using Polish and Lithuanian airspace as well as sectors over international waters of the Baltic Sea. During this period, a British Royal Air Force Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic reconnaissance aircraft was also detected near the Russian border.
The source further remarked that flights by the Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II over the Black Sea and Baltic states have been frequent over the past month, often occurring even on weekends - an unusual pattern compared to previous months.