Russia says it scrambled jet to stop French, German patrol flights entering Russian airspace

May 15

Russia’s defence ministry said it scrambled a fighter jet on Monday to prevent French and German patrol aircraft from entering its air space over the Baltic Sea after it detected them flying towards Russia.

Moscow said the flights were being conducted by a German P-3C patrol aircraft and a French Atlantic-2 maritime patrol jet. After the Russian jet was scrambled and the French and German ones turned away from Russia, the Su-27 returned to base, the defence ministry said.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the Russian report on the aircraft movements.

A spokesman for the German air force said he could not immediately comment. There was no immediate response from the French defence ministry or NATO to a request for comment.

“Two air targets were detected approaching Russia’s state border,” the defence ministry said in its statement.

“In order to identify the targets and prevent the Russian state border being violated, a Su-27 fighter from the Baltic Fleet air force was scrambled,” it added.