A Russian fighter jet intercepted a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea on Monday, according to U.S. officials.
The U.S. Navy has called the interaction between the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet and the U.S. EP-3 Aries aircraft “unsafe.” U.S. officials said the Russian jet flew within 1.5 metres of the EP-3, and crossed its flight path forcing the plane to fly through the Su-27’s turbulence.
A four-second video posted to YouTube by the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet captured the Su-27 passing the slower-moving EP-3.
“This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements,” U.S. Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert wrote in a statement. “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 that the U.S. aircraft was operating within the bounds of international law, and accused the Russian pilots of violating the 1972 Agreement for the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas (INCSEA).
The U.S. Navy said the duration of the intercept lasted for two hours and 40 minutes.
