- cross-posted to:
- news@beehaw.org
- cross-posted to:
- news@beehaw.org
Russian Il-20M reconnaissance plane ignored requests to make contact, in latest of what are seen as provocative acts by Kremlin
Two German Eurofighter jets were scrambled on Sunday to intercept a Russian military aircraft above the Baltic Sea, as Estonia said it would call an emergency meeting of the UN security council after Russian planes violated its airspace.
Germany’s air force said the Russian Il-20M reconnaissance plane had switched off its transponders and ignored requests to make contact. The Eurofighters took off from the Rostock-Laage airbase to head off the aircraft as it flew in international airspace.
Tensions between Nato and Russia have been dramatically rising after a series of what European governments say are deliberate, provocative acts by the Kremlin. On Friday, three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace in the Gulf of Finland. Moscow denies this.
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Weird how Putin doesn’t seem affected by Trump’s aura of respect that would prevent him from daring to attack the West like Donnie claimed he was.
Shoot it down. That cunt putin won’t do it again in a hurry.
I don’t understand. If he can’t even take down the Ukraine, how does he expect to take on NATO nations?
Flying a spy plane over the Baltic with transponders off isn’t random; it’s deliberate pressure. These flights let Russia probe NATO’s readiness, time responses, and gather electronic intelligence when allied radars and comms light up. They also normalize risk: forcing constant intercepts drains resources and tests cohesion among allies.
At home, the Kremlin can showcase defiance; abroad, it signals that even after Sweden joined NATO, Russia will not accept being boxed out of the Baltic. The aim is not a direct clash but erosion of deterrence, unity, and stamina. By staying in the “gray zone,” Moscow keeps initiative, trying to distract support for Ukraine, stress-test NATO, and look for weak links it can exploit.
They also normalize risk: forcing constant intercepts drains resources and tests cohesion among allies.
it also keeps defensive forces sharp, by giving them practice, and strengthens cohesion by highlighting the shared threat NATO protects its members from.
the Soviets did this for decades. it’s still part of their military doctrine, I guess. though it seems counterproductive to me.
Yeah all countries do that, but the end game still doesn’t make sense to me.
There may not be a clear end game, but sometimes just stirring things up is the point. It creates openings and exposes weaknesses, and that in itself can serve as a strategy. He has very little to risk compared to what he might gain, so constant provocation makes sense from his perspective.
Too many weaselly people-pleasers making the decisions so they back off instead of risking a little apocalyptic super-war. Now we get this “I’m not touching you (with guns and missiles (yet))” bullshit that drags on forever instead. Enough foreplay and edging, it’s time to fuck.
How long is literally everybody going to let Russia get away with these stupid stunts?
How long until Russia doesn’t have nukes?
I guess it’s time to move battleships into the black sea ( which should have been done a long time ago)
Turkey’s Bosphorus treaty doesn’t allow it.
Nato and USA have been surveilling the black sea daily for the past decade probably
https://www.itamilradar.com/2025/08/28/us-poseidon-intercepted-over-the-black-sea/
I’d not be surprise if that was a USA conspiracy to sell weapons to EU
More like conspiring to sell weapons to Russia and supporting them, republicans hate the EU.
republicans hate the EU
sources?
