NATO Air Command reported on an official social media post that, during last week’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, Italian Eurofighters intercepted a Russian Tupolev Tu-134UBL, also known as the Black Pearl, flying alongside two Sukhoi Su-30SM2s and one Su-24 tactical bomber over the Baltic Sea.

The news comes as Russian fighter jets increase their activity along NATO’s eastern border, with multiple instances of airspace violations in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. NATO’s Baltic Air Policing in the Baltic region helps ensure the security of allied airspace under the Eastern Sentry initiative. The news was first reported by The Aviationist.

Italian Typhoons Intercept Russian Jets

The news that several Russian fighters were intercepted was shared on November 21, 2025. Along with the announcement, NATO Air Command also released images of the Russian aircraft intercepted by Italian Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon fighters.

The four Russian jets included a Tupolev Tu-134UBL (formerly a trainer and now designated the Tu-134A-4 VIP jet), two Sukhoi Su-30SM2s, and a Su-24 tactical bomber. The Tu-134UBL variant was originally used to train aircrews for the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers. In the social media post, NATO Air Command wrote:

“Over the last week 🇮🇹 jets deployed at Amari 🇪🇪scrambled to intercept multiple 🇷🇺 assets. NATO Air Policing in the Baltic region ensures security of @NATO airspace under Eastern Sentry. #EasternSentry is enhancing flexibility and strength to NATO’s posture on the eastern flank.”

Escalating Russian Activity Near NATO Borders

Russian military activity along NATO’s eastern flank has grown noticeably bolder in recent months. In late October 2025, Polish MiG-29s intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. According to Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces, the aircraft did not enter Polish airspace but was flying without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off.

In mid-September 2025, NATO intercepted three Russian fighter jets that violated Estonian airspace in what has been described as a “brazen” intrusion. The Russian MiG-31 fighters remained in Estonian airspace for nearly 12 minutes before Italian F-35s responded, forcing them to retreat.

The September 2025 violation of Estonian airspace came just a week after 19 drones were detected in Polish airspace. During the same month, Poland’s border guard reported that two Russian fighter jets made a “low-level pass” over a Baltic Sea oil platform operated by the Polish company Petrobaltic. Over the summer, multiple drones also violated Lithuanian and Latvian airspace.

Belarusian Weather Balloons Force Closing Of Lithuania’s Biggest Airport

Russian military activity along NATO’s eastern flank has coincided with what has been described as a hybrid attack against Lithuania – Belarusian weather balloons that have repeatedly forced the closure of the nation’s largest airport. The end of October 2025 was particularly busy, with weather balloon incursions from Belarus halting airport operations for three nights in a single week.

These weather balloons are typically used to transport contraband from Belarus into Lithuania. While such incidents have been occurring for at least two years, recent incursions have grown larger in scale. In one instance, as many as 100 balloons were sent toward Lithuania. In that specific instance that took place on October 24, Vilnius International Airport (VNO), and Kaunas Airport (KUN) were forced to close due to the disruption. It is worth noting that the country’s largest airport is located relatively close to the Belarusian border, approximately 35 km away.

Unlike drones, weather balloons move slowly, and clearing the airspace to ensure it is safe for commercial flights can take a long time. Most of these balloons ascend to 200-1,000 meters to remain less visible to radar and facilitate cargo delivery. Some larger or specially modified balloons can reach 2,000-3,000 meters or higher, depending on weather conditions and the balloon’s design.