US Aircraft 'snapped' By Russian Fighter Jets In The Mediterranean Sea, Pentagon Contacts Moscow

JAKARTA - US Navy aircraft held a 'very close' encounter with several Russian military jets over international waters in the Mediterranean this weekend, according to US officials with direct knowledge of US military reports of the incident.

The source did not specify how close the Russian plane was to the US Navy's P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, or where exactly the encounter took place, but the maneuver was described by Russia as "unsafe and unprofessional."

"We have raised our concerns with Russian officials through diplomatic channels," said Captain Mike Kafka, the Pentagon's director of defense press operations.

Initial reporting indicated there were additional encounters following that, between the US and Russian jets, which were Sukhoi SU-35 fighter jets, according to a defense official.

Several officials indicated there was a video of the incident. But the Biden Administration has not publicly acknowledged any details, amid rising tensions with Russia over its troop deployment on the border with Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said the US was not observing a "meaningful withdrawal" of Russian troops near Ukraine, even though Russian state media reported troops were about to leave Crimea.

Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, told German newspaper Die Welt that there would be no attack on Ukraine "in the coming weeks or months."

However, the US and NATO remain broadly skeptical of Russia's statements about de-escalation, given the overwhelming power positioned so close to Ukraine and the Kremlin's ambiguity about their underlying goals.

The encounter between US and Russian aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, despite being hundreds of miles away from Ukraine, only added to the sensitivity of the situation.

It is not uncommon for Russian aircraft to approach US military aircraft, but most interactions are considered safe and professional by the US.

"While no one is hurt, interactions like this can result in miscalculations and errors that lead to more dangerous outcomes," Kafka said.

CNN has also reported US military aircraft escorting a Russian cargo plane, as well as warplanes across the air exclusion zone in eastern Syria on Tuesday, when Russia failed to provide appropriate advance notice of their flight, according to another US official.

US officials continue to say this close and unexpected encounter risks a miscalculation that could lead to a military incident.

"The United States will continue to operate in a safe, professional and consistent manner with international law in international waters and airspace. We expect Russia to do the same," Kafka said.