WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2020) The United States scrambled fighter jets to intercept the Russian Pacific Fleet's Il-38 anti-submarine planes near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Thursday.
"NORAD F-22s, supported by @US_TRANSCOM KC-135 Stratotanker, intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone last night," NORAD said via Twitter.
The command said in its statement that the Russian aircraft came within 50 miles of Unimak Island along the Aleutian island chain, and stayed for some four hours in the Air Defense Identification Zone before leaving.
"The IL-38s remained in international airspace and at no time did the aircraft enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace," it said.
NORAD said it was the fifth time that US forces had intercepted Russian military aircraft near US territory in the past month. �
Russia's Defense Ministry has emphasized that its flights are conducted in strict compliance with international regulations.
