The US State Department admitted today that a US surveillance plane flying over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Sukhov SU-27 fighter jet, with more Russian fighter planes standing by.
In a statement, the US Navy declared that its EP-3 Aries plane was flying over the Black Sea in international airspace when it was intercepted by a Russian Sukhov SU-27 fighter jet.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russian fighter jet buzzes US spy plane in Black Sea, Navy says <a href="https://t.co/9es4lTqRuP">https://t.co/9es4lTqRuP</a> <a href="https://t.co/zFNTLXAPKZ">pic.twitter.com/zFNTLXAPKZ</a></p>— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxBusiness/status/958334656172224514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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That report came after the Russian defense ministry claimed that “after the surveillance plane of the U.S. Navy had changed its course to move away from the border, the Su-27 returned to its base.”
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">rapprochement of the SU-27 fighter and the American EP-3E Aries II plane in the sky over the Black Sea 29.01.2018 <a href="https://t.co/eJZKhKdc0K">pic.twitter.com/eJZKhKdc0K</a></p>— vladi vladi (@vladivlad777) <a href="https://twitter.com/vladivlad777/status/958362802959323136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In response, the US State Department said that the Russian jet “engaged in an unsafe interaction with a U.S. EP-3 in international airspace, closing to within 5 feet (1.5 meters) and crossing directly in front of the EP-3’s flight path.”
“This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements,” the US army claimed, whilst at the same time asking the Russians to “cease these unsafe actions.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russia says Su-27 fighter jet intercepted US spy plane; America protests <a href="https://t.co/nsxgv37zpD">https://t.co/nsxgv37zpD</a> <a href="https://t.co/BWA61o3o9N">pic.twitter.com/BWA61o3o9N</a></p>— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/htTweets/status/958205633601314816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Russia has of late noted its displeasure with US military flights over Syria, the Baltics and the Black Sea. According to the Pentagon, the Russian defense ministry has instructed their planes to fly as close to as possible to US ships and spy planes.
Source:
http://www.wral.com/russian-jet-buzzed-american-spy-plane-over-black-sea-u-s-says/17299429/
