Pentagon says Russian jet was 5 feet from US Navy flight over Black Sea, Moscow says ‘safe distance’
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the American aircraft they intercepted was commonly used for surveillance.
A Russian fighter jet on Monday came dangerously close to an aircraft of the United States Navy over the Black Sea, where both nations have a relatively active military presence. The Russian jet had come within five feet of the Navy flight, CNN reported, quoting unidentified Pentagon officials.
The intercept by the Russia’s Su-27 jet forced the US to abort its operation over the Black Sea prematurely. The US State Department accused Moscow of “flagrantly violating existing agreements and international law”.
“We call on Russia to cease these unsafe actions that increase the risk of miscalculation, danger to aircrew on both sides, and midair collisions,” said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert.
Spokesperson for the US Naval Forces Europe Captain Pamela Kunze told CNN that the US jet was “operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity”.
However, the state-funded Russia Today reported that the US jet was “scrambled” after an “unidentified flying object” was detected heading for the Russian border. It said the US Navy ЕР-3Е Aries II aircraft was commonly used as a surveillance plane. The Russian Defense Ministry said the US aircraft was “shepherded it at a safe distance”, unlike the five feet distance described by the Pentagon.
