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Russian jets scrambled 9 times in past week to intercept foreign aircraft

Any violation of the Russian airspace was prevented, the Russian Defense Ministry said

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

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MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Russian planes were scrambled nine times during the past seven days to intercept foreign aircraft near Russian borders, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its weekly infographics published on Friday.

According to the ministry’s data, 30 foreign aircraft conducted air surveillance near the Russian borders. "Any violation of the Russian airspace was prevented," the ministry said.

Last week, the Russian military conducted two inspections in foreign states - in Poland as part of the Open Skies Treaty and in Czech Republic under the Vienna Document 2011 on confidence and security-building measures in Europe.

Four foreign military inspections were carried out on the Russian territory in the reported period. An inspection by Finnish military experts was carried out as part of the Open Skies Treaty and a joint Polish-Italian mission took place in line with the Vienna Document 2011. Besides, OPCW experts also visited Russia, as well as US military officials who monitored its compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).

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