Russia: Su-27 jet intercepted US bombers over Baltic Sea, prevented border violation.
Russia said on Tuesday it had scrambled a Su-27 jet to intercept two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea and prevent them from violating Russian state borders.
The Russian ministry of defense said: “On March 23, 2023, Russia’s airspace surveillance spotted two air targets approaching the state border of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea. An Su-27 fighter from the Baltic Fleet’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to identify the air targets and prevent the violation of the Russian state border.”
The ministry added that after turning the foreign military aircraft away from Russian state borders, the Russian fighter jet returned safely to its airbase.
The ministry stressed that the flight of the Russian fighter jet was carried out in strict accordance with international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters.
The Baltic Sea has witnessed in recent months several interceptions by Russian, US and NATO aircraft.
Tensions over airspace and aerial conduct heightened between Moscow and the West last March when a US military surveillance drone (MQ-9 Reaper) crashed into the Black Sea, after an encounter with Russian Su-27 fighter jets in international airspace near territory Russia claims to have annexed from Ukraine.
