Monitoring Russian Activities on the East Side of Its Defence, NATO Sends Reconnaissance Planes to Romania

JAKARTA - A North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) reconnaissance aircraft arrived in Romania on Tuesday, to support the eastern wing of the military alliance and help monitor Russian military activities.

The aircraft, the first to be deployed, landed at an airbase near Bucharest and two more are expected to land later, and on Wednesday. They will stay for a few weeks.

Last week, NATO announced it would deploy Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) reconnaissance aircraft to Bucharest, where they would begin reconnaissance flights only over NATO territory.

"In the context of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine, NATO will monitor military activity on the eastern flank with the help of AWACS aircraft," Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said on Facebook.

NATO has increased its air presence in eastern Europe and the Baltics since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, using fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, and tankers.

The aircraft deployed to Romania belong to a fleet of 14 NATO reconnaissance aircraft normally based in Germany. They can detect other aircraft hundreds of kilometers away, NATO says.

"As Russia's illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there must be no doubt about NATO's determination to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a January 12 statement about the deployment.

Separately, a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet belonging to the Russian Arctic Fleet, escorted a German P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft over the Baltic Sea, near the border two days ago, according to state authorities.

"On January 16, 2023, the Russian airspace monitoring system discovered an air target approaching the Russian state border. The Su-27 Baltic Fleet fighter on duty rushed to identify the target and prevent it from crossing the state border," the Russian National Defense Control Center explained, citing TASS.

It added that the flight crew identified the aerial target as a German Air Force P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and escorted it over the waters of the Baltic Sea.