Valery Kulikov, a member of the Russian upper house's Committee on Defense and Security, told Sputnik on Friday that the Russian military's efforts to intercept a US surveillance aircraft near Russia's airspace over the Black Sea and Crimea were justified and fully appropriate for the situation
SEVASTOPOL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th July, 2019) Valery Kulikov, a member of the Russian upper house's Committee on Defense and Security, told Sputnik on Friday that the Russian military's efforts to intercept a US surveillance aircraft near Russia's airspace over the Black Sea and Crimea were justified and fully appropriate for the situation.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet was dispatched to intercept a US surveillance aircraft that was approaching Russian airspace. According to the Russian military, the US plane immediately started moving away from the Russian border once it was approached by the Russian jet.
"The actions of the [Russian] Southern Military District forces are absolutely appropriate [for the situation]: the [Russian] air force, the Black Sea Fleet ships are obligated to ensure the necessary level of integrity of our borders. This is standard practice. As a former deputy commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, I am fully convinced that this response was justified and necessary," Kulikov said.
Kulikov stressed that no one should doubt the fact that Russia's armed forces were protecting the country at all times.
"If someone does not like it, do not come near our borders to rattle weapons. It is not us but you who are carrying out exercises [only] a few dozen kilometers away from our cities," the lawmaker said.
NATO is currently holding its Sea Breeze 2019 military exercises in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. As part of the drills, a detachment of ships from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, among other countries, has been deployed close to Russia's borders.
