Escorted By Sukhoi Su-30, Two Russian Strategic Bombers Enter Defense Identification Zone: South Korea Sends Fighter Jets

Illustration of a Russian Tu-95MS bomber with an American F-15 fighter jet. (Wikimedia Commons/US Air Force photo)

JAKARTA - Two Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bombers from the Russian Air Force, who was on a patrol mission over the Sea of Japan, entered South Korea's defense identification zone on Tuesday.

"Two Tupolev-95MS strategic long-range bombers have carried out scheduled flights in the airspace over the international waters of the Sea of Japan," according to the Russian Defense Ministry, TASS reported on August 23.

The flight lasts about 7 hours. The Sukhoi-30SM fighter of the Russian Air Force provides protection. At some stage of the route the Tupolev-95MS aircraft were escorted by South Korean F-16 fighters.

According to the Korea Times, the Russian military aircraft entered the Korean air defense identification zone (KADIZ) unannounced, prompting the Air Force to deploy warplanes to the scene, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

However, the JCS did not provide details, such as the number of Russian aircraft and their types.

"Regarding the entry of Russian military aircraft into KADIZ, our military is taking tactical steps in preparation for a possible incident," the JCS said in a statement.

It is known, that the air defense identification zone is not territorial airspace, but is described as the location to call foreign aircraft, to identify themselves to prevent accidental clashes.