The Russians are playing cat and mouse with the US in the air these days. In the latest incident, a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was sent up to intercept a nuclear capable B-52 Stratofortress bomber that was flying in neutral airspace but near the Russian border.
Russian air defense systems detected the U.S. bomber at around 1000 Moscow time as it was flying over neutral waters parallel to the Russian border and sent a Sukhoi Su-27 jet to intercept it, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
“The Russian SU-27 crew, having approached at a safe distance, identified the aircraft as an American B-52 strategic bomber and escorted it” until such time as it changed course and flew away from the border area, the ministry said.
Russia said the SU-27 took off from its Baltic Fleet air defense unit, which is based in the European exclave of Kaliningrad. – Reuters
A US Military spokesman, Air Force Colonel Patrick Ryder stated the B-52 was in international airspace but had no comment on any Russian aircraft activity involving the Stratofortress.
Featured image of Su-27 fighter jet by Mike Humphreys, U.S. Army [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
