Russia's MiG-31 Scrambled To Escort US Reconnaissance Aircraft Above Chukchi Sea -Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) A Russian MiG-31 inteceptor aircraft was scrambled to prevent a US Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft from violating Russia's border over the Chukchi Sea, the Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center told reporters.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry's center, on May 6, airspace control systems over the Chukchi Sea area detected an air target approaching the Russian state border.

"To identify the air target and prevent the violation of the state border of the Russian Federation, a MiG-31 attack aircraft from the air defense forces of the Pacific Fleet on duty was scrambled.

The crew of the Russian attack aircraft identified the air target as an RC-135 strategic reconnaissance aircraft of the US Air Force and escorted it over the water area of the Chukchi Sea," the center said.

The Russian military clarified that after the foreign military aircraft turned away from the Russian state border, the MiG-31 safely returned to the home airfield.