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Russian Su-27 fighter scrambled to intercept US spy plane over Baltic Sea

On August 15, a Russian fighter was scrambled to intercept a US EP-3E Aries reconnaissance plane approaching Russia’s state border over the Black Sea

© Alexei Pavlishak/TASS

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. A Sukhoi Su-27SM fighter was scrambled to intercept a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane near the Russian border over the Baltic Sea, Russia’s National Defense Control Center reported on Monday.

Russian radars spotted an air target over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea approaching Russia’s state border on August 17, the Center said.

"The Russian fighter’s crew approached the air object at a safe distance and identified it as a US Air Force RC-135 strategic reconnaissance plane," the National Defense Control Center said.

After the US spy plane moved away from Russia’s state border, "the Russian fighter safely returned to its home airfield," it said.

The Russian fighter’s flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace. No violations of the Russian state border were allowed, the National Defense Control Center said.

On August 15, a Russian fighter was scrambled to intercept a US EP-3E Aries reconnaissance plane approaching Russia’s state border over the Black Sea.

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