Russian Su-27 Intercepts US and Swedish Armed Forces Aircraft at Russian Border

Russian Su-27 fighter was scrambled to intercept two reconnaissance aircraft of the US Armed Forces and the Swedish Armed Forces that approached the Russian border over the waters of the Baltic Sea, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

"On June 10… two air targets approaching the Russian state border were registered over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea… The crew of the Russian fighter approached the air targets at a safe distance and identified them as the US Armed Forces' RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and the Swedish Armed Forces' Gulfstream reconnaissance aircraft," the Defence Ministry said.

The Russian fighter tagged the foreign aircraft in order to prevent them from violating the Russian border, the ministry added, specifying that Su-27 complied with international regulations of airspace use and followed safety procedures.The past year has seen 3,000 foreign combat aircraft, including about 1,000 spy planes, flying near Russia's maritime and land borders. Moscow has repeatedly condemned foreign military buildup near country's borders, warning that the aggressive moves could provoke an escalation into a full-fledged military confrontation.