Russian fighter jet dispatched to intercept US aircraft near border
A Russian fighter jet was dispatched to intercept a US aircraft that was approaching the Russian border over the waters of the Barents Sea, says the Russian military.
The Russian National Defense Control Center said on Thursday that a MiG-31BM fighter jet was scrambled to identify the craft, which was identified as a US Navy P-8A maritime patrol plane, Russia's Tass news agency reported.
“The Russian fighter’s crew approached the air target at a safe distance,” said the center.
“After the US plane moved away from Russia’s state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to its home airfield," it added.
It also explained that “no violations of the Russian state border by the US military plane were allowed.”
In a similar incident on Wednesday, Russia’s National Defense Management Center scrambled a fighter jet to intercept two US aircraft, after they were detected on radar over the neutral waters of the Black Sea.
US bombers and spy planes, as well as NATO aircraft, have frequently been detected near Russia’s borders.
The flights, which Russia deems provocative, have increased since 2014, when Crimea rejoined Russia following a referendum and the ongoing military conflict in eastern Ukraine broke out.
Russia has repeatedly expressed concern about the increasing activities of the US-led NATO forces near its western borders.
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