Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday its Su-27 jet intercepted U.S. and Swedish reconnaissance planes over the Baltic Sea where NATO is holding Baltops 2019 naval drills.
"On June 10, Russia airspace control means over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea detected two air targets approaching Russia's state border," the ministry said in a statement.
It also said a Su-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Fleet's Air Defence Force was scrambled to intercept the targets. The Russian fighter identified them as U.S. RC-135 and Swedish Gulfstream reconnaissance jets. Both were escorted to prevent "the violation of Russia's state border," the Defense Ministry said.
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