Statements from NATO or diplomatic announcements

French Atlantique 2 Targeted by Russian S-400 and Jamming Over Baltic Sea in NATO Operation

Jan 17, 2025, 01:59 PM

A French maritime patrol aircraft, an Atlantique 2, was targeted by Russian military actions over the Baltic Sea, according to French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu. The incident occurred overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, as the aircraft was conducting a surveillance mission in international airspace as part of a NATO operation named Baltic Sentry. The French aircraft was illuminated by the fire control radar of a Russian S-400 ground-to-air defense system and also subjected to jamming attempts by the Russian military. Lecornu described this as an 'aggressive Russian action' that is 'not acceptable.' This incident took place amidst heightened NATO patrols in the Baltic Sea, aimed at protecting critical undersea infrastructure following recent suspected sabotage by Russia.