FR24 News – Sept 4, 2020

U.S. B52. Click to enlarge

The Russian National Defense Control Center told reporters on Friday that Russian radars detected three strategic B-52N bombers approaching Russian sovereign airspace. A spokesperson said: “Four Su-27 fighter jets and four Su-30 fighter jets from serving Southern Military District air defense units were scrambled to intercept the US Air Force aircraft in over the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov, with the aim of preventing their unauthorized incursion into Russian airspace. ”

After the US plane pulled away from the border with Russia, the Russian jets returned to their air bases, the Center said. The spokesperson added: “All the flights of Russian fighter jets were conducted in strict compliance with international airspace rules.

“American planes were not allowed to cross the border into the Russian Federation illegally. “

Earlier this evening, US European Command tweeted: “Three US Air Force B-52s held vital integration training with Ukrainian fighters in Ukrainian airspace on Friday.”

A statement posted on the US_EUCOM website added: “Three US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota conducted vital integration training on Friday with Ukrainian fighters in Ukrainian airspace.

“Friday’s strategic bombing mission is part of a long-planned deployment of six B-52s to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.

“The mission provided the partners with valuable flight training.

The Aviationist website suggested the move was intended as a “clear show of force in Russia.”

Analysis published on its website suggests: “The mission appears to be another clear signal sent to Russia, amid deteriorating US-Russian relations, and reinforces the message that the Black Sea is seen as strategic for states. United and NATO, as shown by recent missions carried out in the region by B-1 (LRASM attack profile training) and F-16 (JASSM cruise missile tactics training).

The website also quoted Twitter user Evergreen Intel, who posted GPS data and suggested that the exercise could reflect a nuclear strike mission profile against targets in Russia: “Looking at the directions of flight JULIA ( 2-3 nuclear B-52s) in their approaches, it’s a little clearer what message this sends. ”

“Krasnodar is home to the 1st Guards Rocket Brigade.

“Rostov-on-Don is the headquarters of the southern military district.

“Sevastopol is home to the Black Sea Fleet. “

The latest incident comes a day after a Russian MiG-31 jet fighter was also scrambled to intercept an American RC-135 reconnaissance plane and a British Sentinel reconnaissance plane over the Barents Sea far north .

A spokesperson for the National Defense Control Center “The Russian aircraft crew identified the air targets as the US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and the British Royal Air Force R.1 Sentinel reconnaissance aircraft. ”

Just like today, after the hijacking of NATO planes, the MiG-31 returned to the base, the Center said.

Source