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Defense Ministry refutes reports on Russian bombers being intercepted over Black Sea

Flights of the Russian Black Sea Fleet aircraft are made in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace, the ministry stressed

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry has denied a report of the UK Royal Air Force that six Russian bombers Su-24 were intercepted over the Black Sea on August 13.

According to the ministry, on August 13, four planes of the Russian Black Sea Fleet with no Su-24 bombers among them were conducting scheduled training flights over the Black Sea.

"After completing their flight task in the designated area of airspace, the Russian aircraft spotted a warplane of a NATO country at a distance of more than 30 kilometers," the Defense Ministry said.

"The plane was making no maneuvers, was not deviating from the route and was not approaching the Russian planes returning to their home base," it said.

Flights of Russian Black Sea Fleet aircraft are made in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace without violating the borders of other states, the ministry added.

Earlier, a representative of the Royal Air Force said that on August 13, two RAF fighters were launched from their base in Romania to escort Russian planes over the Black Sea.