Russian Sukhoi Fighter Jets Repel Two US Reconnaissance Planes Over The Black Sea

Illustration of a Russian fighter jet with foreign aircraft. (Wikimedia Commons/RAF MOD)

JAKARTA - Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30SM and Su-27 fighter jets were deployed to intercept two United States (US) reconnaissance aircraft approaching Russia's border over the Black Sea, Russia's National Defense Management Center reported on Sunday 11 July local time.

The authority said the Russian airspace control system in the Southern Military District detected two aerial targets over the Black Sea approaching Russia's state border on July 11.

"A Su-30SM and Su-27 fighter jets of the Southern Military District air defense rapid reaction warning force were deployed to intercept the targets. The crew of the Russian fighter jet approached the air targets at a safe distance, identifying them as EP-3E Aries and CL-reconnaissance aircraft. 600 Challengers from the US Air Force, and escorted them over the Black Sea," the authorities said.

"After the US spy planes moved away from the Russian state border, the Russian warplanes safely returned to their original airfields," the statement continued.

The flight of the Russian fighter aircraft was carried out in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace. No violation of Russia's state borders is permitted, the National Defense Control Center said.

The Black Sea region has been in the spotlight, after tensions in the region increased in line with the occurrence of a number of 'incidents' involving the Russian military and Western countries, both in the waters and in the air in recent times.

The most striking, of course, was the British Navy's guided-missile destroyer HMS Defender (D36), repelled with warning shots by Russian ships and fighter jets.

There was also a US strategic reconnaissance aircraft as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 'repelled' the Dutch frigate HNLMS The Evertsen (F805) from the same territorial waters on June 24, the day after the HMS Defender incident.

After the incident, Russia's Black Sea Fleet returned to alert, when the United States Navy (US) guided-missile destroyer USS (DDG-71) Ross entered the Black Sea region, Saturday, June 26.

"This is, of course, a provocation, which is very clear. What are these provocateurs trying to show and what goals are they trying to achieve? First of all, (the provocation) is comprehensive and staged not only by Britain but also by the United States of America," said President Putin.

"Since a British warship entered our territorial waters in the afternoon, while early in the morning, at 07:30, a US strategic reconnaissance aircraft took off from a NATO airfield in Greece, from Crete, I believe receiving reports of that. We see and observe it clearly," said President Putin.