NATO Russia Baltic Air Patrols

Members of a French air force detachment of personnel and Rafale jets stationed on a monthslong deployment at the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania on a NATO air-policing mission play chess in the detachment's headquarters at the base on Monday, April 20, 2026.

Tags

As featured on

In Baltic skies, NATO and Russian pilots size each other up warily but without a tilt into war

In Baltic skies, NATO and Russian pilots size each other up warily but without a tilt into war

In Baltic skies, there's a regular ballet of posturing between pilots from NATO nations and Russia. The military alliance regularly sends up fighter jets to intercept Russian flights that NATO says fail to adhere to international norms and endanger other flyers. The Associated Press spoke to French and Romanian pilots serving on a NATO mission in Lithuania. With spring bringing better weather for flying, they're being kept busy, taking to the skies to identify and watch Russian planes. Alliance members take turns policing Baltic skies around the clock, seven days a week.