The Russian Defense Ministry has called on the US Air Force to avoid endangering civilian passenger flights with their “unprofessional” actions. A US defense attache has been summoned after an incident over the Sea of Japan near Russia’s eastern borders, where an American spy plane was detected flying too close to civilian aircraft.
Just days after a report that two Chinese J-11 fighter jets buzzed a US spy plane above the South China Sea, Beijing has officially escalated its displeasure at US surveillance up the chain of command and as Reuters reports, Beijing has demanded an end to all U.S. surveillance near China.
As a reminder, a U.S. Defense official said two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew within 50 feet (15 meters) of the U.S. EP-3 aircraft in what the Pentagon deemed an "unsafe" intercept. And, just like Russia, China has had enough and demands US provocations end.
Having relentless provoked Russia over the past month, when week after week the Pentagon expressed its shock and dismay that Russians dare to scramble fighter jets when US missile cruisers or reconnaissance planes fly next to, or above, Russian territory the US has decided to pick on another target: China.
According to CNN, yet another close encounter took place between the U.S. and Russia yesterday, as a Russian SU-27 allegedly conducted a barrel roll over top of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane flying over the Baltic sea. The incident was in international airspace according to the Defense Department.
A Russian SU-27 fighter jet flew dangerously close to a U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane, barrel-rolling on top of it over the Baltic Sea, according to the US military. But why is the US flying spy missions off the Russian coast? CNN reports: The incident Thursday occurred when a Russian jet “performed erratic and aggressive maneuvers” as it flew within 50 feet of the U.S. aircraft’s wing tip, Danny Hernandez, a spokesman for U.S. European Command, said in a response to a question from CNN. The Russian Su-27 began the barrel roll from the left side of the U.S.