Russia tried to “jam” and “illuminate” a NATO patrol plane over the Baltic Sea

A French naval aircraft, which was conducting a reconnaissance flight as part of a NATO deployment in the Baltic Sea due to damage to submarine cables suspected of being Russian, was subjected to an “attempted jamming” and “illumination by fire control radar.” This was reported on January 16 by the French newspaper Le Figaro, citing a statement from the French armed forces.

“The fact of the 'enlightenment' of our aircraft operating in international waters by radar reflects aggressive actions,” – said the press secretary of the French Armed Forces, Colonel Guillaume Vernet.

He emphasized that in this way the Russian Federation “in a discreet manner made known its hostility”, but “thanks to the professional actions of the crew of the French plane” the escalation of the situation was avoided.

According to the spokesman, the Russian army was also not interested in carrying out its threat, because “an attack on a NATO plane could provoke a sudden and serious escalation with the Alliance”.