MOSCOW, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Saturday that it will take action to strengthen flight safety over the Baltic Sea and called for reciprocal moves from NATO.
Certain organizational and technical measures will be taken, including the use of transponders by Russian military aircraft, so that they could be identified by air control services in the Baltic region during their flights over the Baltic Sea, said the Russian Defense Ministry.
Further interaction with NATO is needed for the alliance to be "reciprocally ready to conduct their air force flights with transponders near Russian borders," the ministry said in a statement.
It also suggested that flight safety over the Baltic Sea could be discussed at a Russia-NATO Council meeting at ambassadorial level scheduled for July 13.
Russia has been criticizing the United States and NATO for their mounting military deployment near its western borders.
