Russia's MiG-31 Intercepts US, Norwegian Patrol Planes Over Barents Sea - Defense Ministry

Russia's MiG-31 Intercepts US, Norwegian Patrol Planes Over Barents Sea - Defense Ministry

Russian fighter jet MiG-31 intercepted US and Norwegian patrol aircraft over the Barents Sea, forcing them to turn around, the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said on Monday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2021) Russian fighter jet MiG-31 intercepted US and Norwegian patrol aircraft over the Barents Sea, forcing them to turn around, the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said on Monday.

According to the center, on April 19, Russian radars detected two air targets approaching the state border of Russia over the water area of the Barents Sea.

"To identify air targets and prevent violation of the Russian state border, a MiG-31 fighter from the air defense duty of the Northern Fleet was scrambled. The crew of the Russian fighter identified the air targets as the US Navy base patrol aircraft R-8A Poseidon and the Royal Norwegian Air Force base patrol aircraft R-3C Orion and escorted them over the water area of the Barents Sea," the NDCC said.

"After the turn of foreign military aircraft from the Russian state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to the home airfield, no violation of the Russian state border was allowed," it said

The NDCC added that the flight of the Russian fighter had been carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.