A Russian jet fighter was scrambled to intercept a US reconnaissance plane over neutral waters of the Black Sea on May 9, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
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“After approaching a plane at a safe distance the Russian pilot visually identified the flying object as a US surveillance plane P-8A Poseidon,” the Russian military said.
The Russian pilot “greeted” the US pilots with a special maneuver, after which the US plane changed its course away from the Russian border.
The incident occurred on May 9 at around 9am GMT, when Russian radars detected an aerial target over neutral waters of the Black Sea approaching the Russian border.
A Su-30 jet fighter was scrambled to intercept it, the ministry of defense said, adding that the jet safely returned to the base afterwards.
Previously, NBC reported that a Russian Su-27 jet approached a US plane over Black Sea neutral waters as close as seven meters. The channel cited Captain Pamela Kunze, a spokeswoman for US Naval Forces Europe, who said that the aircraft was on a routine operation in international airspace. She also stated that US Navy aircraft and ships often interact with Russian ships and planes in and over international waters, and that “most interactions are safe and professional,” according to NBC.
