Russian jets intercept French and US fighters over the Black Sea

Several Russian SU-27 fighters escorted a group of French and US fighters over the Black Sea on December 9, according to a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday.

According to a Russian statement, the Defense Ministry said the country’s airspace control system “detected an aerial target flying towards the Russian border over the high seas of the Black Sea.” News agency TASS..

“The plane has been stopped from invading the Russian border,” he said. “After moving foreign fighters away from the Russian border, Russian fighters safely returned to their home airfield,” he added.

French military officials said on December 9 that two planes and one French refueling aircraft were being tracked by two Russian fighters in the international airspace of the Black Sea.

One day, a Russian jet was already escorting two French fighters. Moscow said it was intended to prevent French aircraft from entering Russian airspace.

Russia’s National Defense Administration Center, which is part of the Ministry of Defense, has identified the intercepted planes as Mirage 2000, Rafale fighters, and KC-135 refueling aircraft belonging to the French Air Force.

According to the center, the group also included two American reconnaissance aircraft, the CL-600 Artemis and the US Air Force RC-135.

Colonel Pascal Ianni, a military spokesman, told news agency Reuters that French planes carried out NATO observation missions under international regulations.

Such interactions are not uncommon, and similar incidents have occurred before, but are occurring in tensions between the West of the region and Russia.

Last week, US intelligence released information and satellite images taken last month, showing that Russia is concentrating its troops on the border with Ukraine. The West has raised concerns that Russia may be preparing for a “massive attack” on Ukraine early next year.

Moscow denied all claims that the Kremlin was preparing for an attack on Ukraine and rejected Western concerns as part of its efforts to slander Russia.

from NTD News

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