Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Fighter Buzzes U.S. Surveillance Plane Over Black Sea

Denis Tyrin / TASS

The United States condemned “unsafe Russian military practices” after a Russian Su-27 fighter flew within 5 feet of a U.S. surveillance airplane over the Black Sea on Monday.

Since 2014, NATO countries and Russia have reported numerous airspace violations by military aircraft in Eastern Europe. Russia’s Defense Ministry released footage last year of NATO F-16s buzzing a plane carrying Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as it flew over the Baltic Sea.

“This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements,” U.S. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement Monday.

Nauert accused Russia of violating the 1972 Agreement for the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas (INCSEA), adding that the U.S. craft operated within international law.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian fight jet was acting “in accordance with international standards,” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The incident caused the U.S aircraft to experience “a 15-degree roll and violent turbulence,” Pentagon spokeswoman Michelle Baldanza told CNN.

“We call on Russia to cease these unsafe actions that increase the risk of miscalculation, danger to aircrew on both sides and midair collisions,” Nauert added.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more