Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced that fighter jets intercepted two US strategic bombers “infringing on airspace” as they flew over the Baltic Sea.
“The Russian fighter’s crew identified the air targets as two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said on May 25, adding that the Su-27s and Su-35s took off to intercept bombers. Americans. .
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, “a violation of state borders was avoided” when the fighter forced the US aircraft to fly away from the Russian border. The fighters then “safely returned to the air base”.
“The Russian fighter carried out the flight in accordance with international regulations on the use of airspace,” the ministry’s statement added.
The US has not yet responded to information from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
A US Air Force B-1B strategic bomber. Photo: Military.com
This is the second such incident this week. Russia’s Ministry of Defense also said on May 24 that airspace control systems had detected two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers over the Baltic Sea, approaching the Russian border. Baltic Fleet Su-27 fighters took off to respond.
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder later confirmed that two US B-1B bombers flew over the Baltic Sea and encountered Russian fighter jets. “This is a long-planned operation in Europe. As far as I know, it was a safe and professional interaction with a Russian aircraft,” Ryder said.
The Russian Air Force has repeatedly sent fighter jets to intercept foreign aircraft in waters close to the border in recent weeks. Earlier, on May 15, Russia sent Su-27 fighter jets to intercept the German navy’s P-3C Orion reconnaissance plane and the French army’s Atlantic-2 over the Baltic Sea.
An American MQ-9 Reaper drone (UAV) on March 14 crashed into the Black Sea after being fueled by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet. The US military said the UAV’s propeller was damaged after a collision with a Russian fighter jet. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the Su-27 fighter did not collide with the US UAV.
Kaliningrad Overseas Territories of Russia and the Baltic Sea. Graphics: BBC
Huyen Le (according to Reuters, AFP)
