Sunday 07 May 2023
“Provocative Approach” Russian fighter jet intercepts Polish plane
Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets (archive image).
(Photo: picture alliance / dpa)
During a patrol flight over the Black Sea, a Russian jet harassed a Polish plane. There is talk of an “aggressive and dangerous maneuver”. As a result, NATO put parts of its air fleet on “pre-alert”.
According to Romanian reports, a Russian warplane intercepted a Polish plane during a patrol flight for the EU border protection agency Frontex. The Romanian Defense Ministry said the Polish border guard plane was on a routine Frontex flight on Friday when it was intercepted by a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet through repeated “aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres”.
The incident happened “in international airspace over the Black Sea”, about 60 kilometers east of Romanian airspace. Romanian and Spanish aircraft were then put on “pre-alert” by NATO. However, the Polish crew managed to land safely after the machine “initially lost altitude” and “had serious control problems,” said the Defense Ministry in Bucharest.
“This incident is further evidence of the Russian Federation’s provocative actions in the Black Sea,” Bucharest said. The European border protection agency Frontex initially did not comment. Polish border guards declined to comment and announced a statement for Sunday. The Polish aircraft has been stationed in Romania since April 19 and is scheduled to remain there until May 17. It is part of a Frontex operation organized by Romania, in which Spain and Sweden are also involved.
Source: ntv.de
mdi/AFP
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