Russia has scrambled Su-27 fighters in the Baltic to intercept the U.S. and a Swedish reconnaissance aircraft, the defense ministry said.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, ground airspace control facilities detected two air targets over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea having approached the state border of the Russian Federation.
“In order to intercept the targets, a Su-27 fighter of Russian Baltic Fleet’s Air Defence on-duty forces took off. It approached the air objects at a safe distance and identified them as a U.S. Air Force’s RC-135 and a Swedish Air Force’s Gulfstream reconnaissance aircraft,” said in a statement.
Also noted that Russian fighter pilot reported on the identification of foreign reconnaissance aircraft and accompanied them, preventing violations of the Russian airspace borders in compliance with all necessary security measures.
“The flight of the Russian Su-27 fighter jet was carried out strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,” stressed in Ministry of Defence.