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NATO qualifies the Bornholm incident as a serious violation.
The Russian Su-27 aircraft from Kaliningrad followed the B-52 aircraft into Danish airspace over the island and thus committed a serious airspace violation in the NATO country, the Air Command message states. NATO ally.
The Russian fighter jet is said to have attempted to intercept a US B-52 plane near Bornholm, NATO states. CNN mentions the alliance message.
A Danish fighter flew on its wings to meet the Russian plane, but the SU-27 jet left the area before the Dane arrived.
According to Danish radio, the incident occurred last Friday afternoon and the Russian plane is said to have come from a base in Kaliningrad.
According to NATO, this is the first such episode in several years and shows a new level of “Russian provocative behavior”.
Russia rejects NATO claims
Russian state news agency Tass today issued a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry on the matter.
It claims that three Russian fighter jets were dispatched to identify three other jets.
They determined that one of the planes was a US B-52 strategic bomber.
“The Russian Defense Ministry denies the NATO statement that a Russian Su-27 type fighter jet has violated Danish airspace,” the statement said.
From the Russian side, it stands out that the country’s surveillance systems confirm that the Danish border has not been violated.
Close confrontation over the Black Sea
Last Friday, Russian fighter jets also came very close to a US bomber over the Black Sea.
The US military has released a video of the incident, in which Russian fighter jets attempt to intercept the US B-52 aircraft.
According to the Americans, the Russian Su-27 plane was only 35 meters from the nose of the bomber.
The US military calls the move “unsafe and unprofessional.”
– Dangerous incidents
The US bombers have participated in a NATO exercise and have recently flown over all the member countries of the alliance, including Norway.
Researcher Jakub M. Godzimirski from the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Policy tells NRK that there are small margins when military aircraft are so close to each other.
– These are dangerous incidents and miscalculations can lead to something more serious.
The Nupi researcher believes that the last two incidents may be a Russian reaction to the important NATO exercise and that they want to send a signal that Russia is closely monitoring what is happening.
But Godzimirski points out that the superpowers have been following each other’s activity for more than ten years, accusing each other of irresponsible behavior.
– Shows muscles
“Relations between Russia and the United States are now marked by a cold war, and the balance of military power is again very important,” Dmitry Litovkin told NRK. Comment on the military conditions of the Russian website Izvestia.
He believes that both the Russian and American military are showing strength, with Russian bombers flying along American borders, while the United States is flying close to Russian territory.
Litovkin believes that it is unclear whether the Russian Su-27 aircraft violated Danish airspace, but that the Russian military leadership is very concerned about NATO activity in the immediate areas of Russia.
– The Russian army can intercept any aircraft approaching our borders. In the 1990s, Russia lost much of its combat capabilities, but now the country is back in full force. Our forces are ready for battle at all times, emphasizes the Russian commentator.