Second time this week, Russian jets intercept US bombers in Baltic Sea

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 May 22:06
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Russia's Defense Ministry says the US strategic bombers were prevented from violating Russian airspace.

Russian Su-35 fighter aircraft taking part in an exercise after taking off from an airfield in Brest, Belarus, February 11, 2022 (Russian Defense Ministry)

Russian fighter jets intercepted two US strategic bomber planes over the Baltic Sea and forced them to change direction after the aircraft violated the country's state border, Russia's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

This is the second incident of this kind this week.

Su-27 and Su-35 jets were dispatched to steer away the American bombers, the Ministry continued, adding that the targets were identified as "two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers."

"The violation of the state border was prevented," it said, adding that the Russian fighters "returned safely to their air base."

The Defense Ministry stressed that the maneuver was "carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace."

It is the latest in a series of similar incidents, with Moscow saying it had intercepted several Western jets near the Baltic in recent weeks.

Russia's National Defense Control Center said on Tuesday that fighters intercepted two US bombers as they flying were toward Russian airspace.

In the past few months, Russia has diverted several Western air fighters that came close to the country's borders.

In April, a German jet was escorted away by a Su-27, after it came into the vicinity of the borders.