Russian Aircraft Violates NATO Airspace While Intercepting US Bombers

Russian Wikimedia Commons aircraft

JAKARTA - Russian military jets violated the airspace of the international NATO alliance while trying to intercept the B-52 bomber belonging to the United States Air Force (US) flying near Denmark's Bornholm Island. What's wrong?

NATO considers the incident a significant violation of international law. "" Russian Su-27s, flying from Kaliningrad, following B-52s into Danish airspace over the island, committed a significant violation of the airspace of the NATO country, "NATO Allied Air Command said in a statement quoted by CNN.

"The Danish Rapid Reaction Warning Plane was launched to counter violations, but the Russian fighters who violated it turned back before being intercepted. Unauthorized intrusion of the sovereign airspace is a significant violation of international law," he added.

Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave - a separate territory - located between Poland and Lithuania, where Russia's military presence is significant. Bornholm Island is located in the Baltic Sea less than 144 km east of Copenhagen.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Su-27 fighter jets used to intercept the US Air Force's B-52 bombers did not violate Danish airspace. The aircraft is in the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.

"The Ministry of Defense has denied the North Atlantic Alliance statement regarding the breach of the Danish state border by Russian Su-27 fighters," said one Russian Defense Ministry official.

The incident came amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia. The US has accused the Russian military of several unsafe acts in recent days, including the unprofessional interception of US B-52 bombers over the Black Sea. Meanwhile the US also said that Russia was responsible for the collision between America and a Russian armored vehicle in Syria which left seven US soldiers injured.

"We saw an incident last week in which a Russian vehicle deliberately hit an American vehicle. We are working with Russia to say this is unacceptable behavior, to which America will respond," said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

B-52 bombers were part of a recent mission. US bombers flew over 30 NATO members in a demonstration of the solidarity of the alliance. Russian Su-27s also intercepted B-52s flying over the Black Sea on Friday August 28, a move the US has called unsafe and unprofessional.