A+ A-

US says Russian jet made "aggressive maneuver" in Baltic Sea

WASHINGTON, April 29 (KUNA) -- US officials said on Friday that a Russian jet fighter made "an aggressive maneuver" as it flew over a US plane over the Baltic Sea, just two weeks after a similar incident.
"A US Air Force RC-135 aircraft flying a routine route in international airspace over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian (Sukhoi) SU-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner," said Defense Department Spokesperson Lt.-Col. Michelle Baldanza.
Baldanza added that the US aircraft was flying amid international airspace and "at no time crossed into Russian territory." She said the Russian jet was flying at a "high rate of speed from the side then proceeded to perform an aggressive maneuver that posed a threat to the safety of the US aircrew in the RC-135." Describing the incident as "unsafe and unprofessional," she said it had the potential to "cause serious harm and injury to all aircrews involved," as well as having the "potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries." On April 14 a Russian military aircraft flew close to the USS Donald Cook and another US jet in the same area. (end) sd.gb