US, Russian air forces clash over Baltic

The US and Russian air forces clashed again when a Russian fighter jet intercepted a US Air Force bomber over the Baltic Sea.

A severe military incident occurred on Tuesday over the Baltic Sea when a Russian fighter jet intercepted a US Air Force bomber, forcing it to change course.

According to a report by Russia’s official TASS news agency, a Russian SU-27 fighter jet intercepted and escorted a US B-52 bomber flying along Russia’s border over the Baltic Sea.

According to a Russian Defense Ministry statement, “Russia’s airspace monitoring means identified an air target flying along Russia’s state border over the international waters of the Baltic Sea. A Sukhoi-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Sea Fleet’s air defense force was dispatched to intercept the target.”

“The crew of Russia’s Sukhoi-27 jet approached the aircraft, staying at a safe distance, identified it as a US strategic bomber B-52 and escorted it for some time,” the statement added.

Similar incidents have happened in the past.

In May, US Air Force fighters intercepted four Russian bombers right on the country’s border, near Alaska. US officials pointed out that the Russian jets were unarmed and did not stray from international airspace.

In April, Russian bombers raised concerns when, over a four-day period, they flew several sorties very close to Alaska for the first time since 2014.

In September, a Russian fighter jet flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a US Navy surveillance aircraft in the Black Sea, in what American officials called an unsafe intercept.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Baltic SeaRussiaUS Air ForceUS-Russia relations