On Friday, May 1, 2026, the press service of the French Military Operations reported on social media that a quick reaction alert pair of Dassault Rafale B multirole aircraft belonging to the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace) had intercepted two Russian Su-24M tactical bombers, NATO reporting name Fencer, which had violated the airspace of the Baltic States.
Photos: Armée française – Opérations militaires via X
“Lithuania | Escorting two Russian Su-24s that entered the airspace of the Baltic States without a flight plan. Immediate intervention by French Rafales of the French Air and Space Force, deployed in Lithuania for Baltic Air Policing. Together, protecting the airspace of the Baltic States and ensuring NATO air policing.”
Armée française – Opérations militaires
Although the press release does not specify this, the Russian aircraft may have violated the airspace of Lithuania and/or Latvia from the Baltic Sea side, although there has been no confirmation from the countries concerned. In Lithuania’s case, however, this would be the second such incident in recent months, after a Russian Su-30 multirole aircraft, NATO reporting name Flanker-H, together with an Il-78 aerial refueling tanker, NATO reporting name Midas, violated the country’s airspace from the direction of Kaliningrad Oblast on October 23, 2025. Recently, the Russians have also violated Estonian airspace: on March 18 this year with a Su-30, and on September 19, 2025 with three MiG-31s.
What is worth noting in the case of yesterday’s incident is that the photographs published by the French show that the aircraft belonged to the aviation arm of the Baltic Fleet, and therefore probably to the 4th Guards Naval Attack Aviation Regiment from the air base in Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, as part of the Baltic Fleet’s 132nd Attack Aviation Division.
One of the aircraft, registration number RF-34002, tactical number “10” White, is armed with two RBK-500-series cluster bombs, while the second Su-24M, whose numbers cannot be read, was armed with four OFAB-250-270 high-explosive fragmentation bombs.
📍Lituanie | Accompagnement de 2 SU-24 🇷🇺 ayant pénétré sans plan de vol dans l’espace aérien des pays baltes 🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹
⚡️Intervention immédiate des Rafale 🇫🇷 de l’@armee_de_lair déployés en 🇱🇹 pour Baltic Policing
🎯Ensemble, protéger l’espace aérien des pays baltes et assurer la… pic.twitter.com/nXPvVXO696
— Armée française – Opérations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) May 1, 2026
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