Russia's Su-27 Escorted US, German Aircraft Over Baltic Sea, Defence Ministry Says

Sputnik News

16:50 GMT 28.09.2020

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian fighter jet Su-27 was scrambled to escort two aircraft of the US Navy and the German Navy over the Baltic Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defence Control Centre (NDCC) said on Monday.

"On 28 September 2020, Russian airspace control devices detected two air targets approaching the Russian state border over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea", the statement says.

To identify air targets and prevent violation of the Russian state border, a Su-27 fighter from the Baltic Fleet's air defence forces was scrambled.

"The crew of the Russian fighter identified the air targets as US Navy base patrol aircraft R-8A Poseidon and German Navy patrol aircraft P-3C Orion and escorted them over the Baltic Sea", the NDCC added.

After foreign military aircraft turned away from the Russian state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to the home airfield.

"The entire flight of the Russian fighter Su-27 was conducted strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace. No violations of the Russian state border were allowed", the statement says.

The Russian military's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda reported on 25 September that the Russian Armed Forces detected 43 foreign jets that were engaged in reconnaissance activities close to country's airspace last week.

© Sputnik