Rafale fighter jets from the French Air and Space Force intercepted and escorted two Russian Su-24M bombers after the aircraft entered the airspace of the Baltic states, according to the General Staff of the French Armed Forces.
The operation was carried out by French aircraft deployed in Lithuania as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. According to the official post by the French General Staff on X, the Rafales were scrambled at short notice to escort two Su-24 aircraft that entered Baltic airspace without a flight plan.
The French fighters operate from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, where they take part in the Alliance mission responsible for monitoring and protecting the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The French presence is part of a regular rotation of allied forces in the region.
According to analysis of the released images, one of the Russian aircraft carried the registration RF-34002, associated with a Su-24M from the 4th Guards Naval Assault Aviation Regiment. The unit operates Su-30SM and Su-24M aircraft and is based at the Chernyakhovsk military airfield in Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, an enclave located between Poland and Lithuania.
NATO mission in the Baltic region
Air contingents from France and Romania assumed responsibility for NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltic states on March 31, 2026, during a ceremony in Šiauliai. France leads the operation with Dassault Rafale fighters, while Romania supports the mission with F-16 Fighting Falcon jets. The French and Romanian forces replaced previous contingents from Spain and Italy. NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission has been conducted continuously since 2004, with the aim of ensuring the integrity of the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Region remains under military attention
Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, Vitalija Zumerienė, said NATO’s mission is one of the most relevant examples of the Alliance’s collective defence. According to her, the allied presence in Lithuania has become even more important amid the regional security situation and recent incidents involving drones in the Baltic states and Finland.
The episode comes amid frequent surveillance on NATO’s eastern flank. Russian aircraft are regularly monitored over the Baltic Sea and in areas close to allied airspace, especially on routes linked to the Kaliningrad enclave. In April, international media reported new interceptions of Russian military aircraft over the region, involving French Rafales deployed in Lithuania.
Source and images: General Staff of the French Armed Forces, X @EtatMajorFR; Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
