Finland’s air traffic control directed civilian planes to evade Russian military aircraft

(iStock)
(iStock)
On Wednesday, Finnish air traffic control spotted Russian military planes flying with their transponders switched off. Civilian aircraft were directed away from the military planes.

Finland’s air traffic control instructed cvilian aeroplanes to evade a group of Russian military jets on Wednesday. The Russian planes were flying with their transponders turned off, meaning that other planes were not able to notice them on their instruments.

According to Finnish aviation company Finavia, Finland’s military air traffic control system’s surveillance radar spotted the group of Russian aeroplanes flying between Russia and its exclave Kaliningrad.

Director of aviation Pekka Henttu from the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi) says the planes were flying in single file formation but that no danger was posed to civilian air traffic. Risks were minimised thanks to swift communication between civilian and military air traffic control, he says.

”The civilian traffic was diverted to steer clear of the Russian planes,” Henttu says. “This is standard procedure when planes are ‘flying dark’ with their transponders off.”

Top Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat was the first to report the evasion measures.

Related stories from around the North:

Canada:  Will Russia’s actions in Ukraine affect relations in the Arctic Council?, Eye on the Arctic

Denmark: Sweden and Denmark protest to Russia, Radio Sweden

Finland:  Duma foreign affairs committee chief: Finland willing to end sanctions, Yle News

Norway:  New Norwegian spy vessel to keep track with «unpredictable» Russia, Barents Observer

Russia:  More marines for Russia’s Northern Fleet, Blog by Mia Bennett

Sweden: Russia playing “psychological warfare” with Sweden says researcher, Radio Sweden

United States:  Pentagon: Climate change is national security risk, Barents Observer

Yle News

For more news from Finland visit Yle News.

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

Leave a Reply

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.
Netiquette »

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *