The Defense Ministry reported on the interception of American B-1B Lancer bombers over the Black sea. VKS fighters, as noted in the release of the Department, forced the US air force bombers to turn away from the Russian borders.
Air defense systems detected American military aircraft over the Black and Baltic seas. After that, the SU-27P and SU-30SM took off, approached a safe distance, and escorted the B-1B until they changed course.
The Defense Ministry stressed that the flights of Russian aircraft were "strictly in accordance with international rules." After completing the task, the fighters returned to their bases.
Earlier, the command of the US air force in Europe reported that two B-1B Lancer flew over the Black sea. The planes took off from an air base in South Dakota.
This is not the first time when American bombers have conducted operations near the Russian borders. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the appearance of American aircraft near the borders of Russia creates additional tension in relations between the two countries. Moscow has repeatedly called on Washington to abandon these flights, but the American authorities have refused.
Today's incident over the Black sea has been commented on in the Federation Council. The first Deputy Chairman of the FC Committee on Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Dzhabarov, told RIA Novosti, that by sending its bombers to the borders of Russia, the US would not achieve its goal of intimidating the Russian Federation, but set up its European allies, whose airfields these planes used.
"This is not a good trend. Thus, the United States is setting up its European allies, because the Americans do not drive their planes to us across the ocean, they take off from American bases in Europe," Dzhabarov said.
According to him, such an attempt to "act of intimidation" is absolutely meaningless.
"They won't frighten us, it's absolutely pointless. But the risk of incidents - if the pilot goes off course or something else-makes this show of force very dangerous for the US, " the Senator said.
Dzhabarov stressed that such actions cast doubt on the US desire to extend START-3 and other treaties with Russia.
"If they want to negotiate peace and sign treaties, there must be other actions," he said.
The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3), signed in 2010, remains the only existing arms limitation Treaty between Russia and the United States. The agreement expires in February 2021.
Earlier, the US said that it was thinking about extending START-3, but offered to expand it to a large range of new weapons that were not included in the current START-3, and also offered to include China in the Treaty. China has stated that it was not interested in such negotiations.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons