MOSCOW – A Russian Su-27 jet has forced an American Lockheed EP-3surveillance plane to abort its mission over the Black Sea. Moscow says thejet “took all necessary precautions,” while the Pentagon accused it of an“unsafe” intercept.
*“The entire flight of the Su-27 was conducted in accordance withinternational regulations, and there were no emergency situations,”* theRussian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Moscow said that the plane was scrambled when as unidentified flying objectwas detected heading for the Russian border. The Su-27 approached theaircraft and identified it as a US Navy ЕР-3Е Aries II – a commonly usedsurveillance plane. The ministry said that the jet shepherded it* “at asafe distance”*before the spy plane changed course away from Russianairspace.
The US Navy released a contrasting account of the intercept, which it saidlasted 2 hours 40 minutes.
*“This interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the Su-27 closing towithin five feet [1.5 meters] and crossing directly through the EP-3’sflight path, causing the EP-3 to fly through the Su-27’s jet wash,”*it saidin a statement. It insisted that the American plane *“did not provoke thisRussian activity”* and stated that its response *“increased the risk ofmiscalculation and midair collisions.”*
*“The Russian military is within its right to operate within internationalairspace, but they must behave within international standards set to ensuresafety and prevent incidents,”* it added.