Russia's defence ministry that an Su-27 fighter jet intercepted two US reconnaissance planes flying over the Black Sea. "On August 12, Russian airspace control systems detected two air targets approaching the Russian state border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea," Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service as saying.
A Su-27 fighter jet of the Southern Military District was scrambled to intercept the targets, it said. The crew of the fighter jet identified the aerial objects as US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 and US Navy patrol aircraft P-8A Poseidon, it added.
After the US planes flew away from the Russian state border, the Su-27 returned to its airfield, Zvezda said.
In the last few weeks, Russian fighter jets have been scrambled regularly to intercept US reconnaissance planes over the Black Sea.
Multiple Interactions
Two weeks ago, the Russian air defense system detected US spy planes over neutral waters in the Black Sea. Following this, the Russian military published a video of its Su-30 fighter jet intercepting a group of US reconnaissance planes and chasing them out.
According to Russia's Ministry of Defense, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy reconnaissance planes along with a refueling tanker were detected on June 26, making it the eighth interaction between the two superpowers in the past one month. U.S. and Russian aircraft have been engaged in similar interceptions in the Baltic Sea region too over the past few months.
On May 29, a Su-27 and Su-30SM Russian fighters intercepted U.S. Air Force's B-1s that were detected flying with Ukrainian Su-27s and MiG-29s in the area. However, it's not only Russia but U.S. too has often detected movement by Russian spy aircraft in neutral international waters.
The U.S. and Russian aircraft have intercepted each other on multiple occasions in the Baltic Sea in Eastern Europe in the past few months. On June 15, Russia's Su-27s intercepted a U.S. B-52. The United States intercepted Russian aircraft on multiple occasions in the past few weeks. This includes a June 24 intercept of Russian reconnaissance planes off the Alaskan coast.
(With agency inputs)
