An Su-27 fighter jet exploded on Tuesday afternoon after two US B-1B strategic bombers approached the Russian border via the Baltic Sea, state media reported.
The report from the RIA news agency quoted a government source at the Ministry of Defense.
That source said the US fighter jets “made a U-turn” after the Su-27 aircraft arrived on the scene.
The Defense Ministry said the B-1B bombers were spotted by Russian air traffic controllers, who in turn notified the country’s armed forces.
“As the Russian fighter approached them, the foreign strategic bombers made a U-turn from the state border of the Russian Federation. The Russian aircraft returned safely to its home airbase, preventing the violation of the Russian state border,” a Defense Ministry source told TASS.
Russia sent a Su-27 fighter jet, similar to the one shown here, to intercept two US bombers as they approached the Russian border on Tuesday afternoon
A US Air Force B-1 strategic bomber is one of the most advanced aircraft in the US military’s arsenal
This latest incident comes as Moscow and Washington DC remain at odds over consistent US support for Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the latest US commitments to support Ukraine were not will bear fruit in war.
‘Mr. “Biden did not say that all those efforts to deter Russia have proven ineffective,” Peskov said. “They will remain inefficient in the future.”
This is the second time in less than six months that Russian fighter jets have intercepted American B-1 strategic bombers
Just four days ago, two Russian Su-27 fighter jets were shot down in response to the approach of the RC-135 “electronic war plane” and its escorts, Moscow said.
“A pair of Su-27 fighters of the Air Defense Force flew to identify the air targets and prevent violation of the state border of the Russian Federation,” the country’s Defense Ministry said.
“The Russian fighter crews identified the air targets as an RC-135 radio-technical reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft and two Typhoon multi-role fighter aircraft of the British Air Force.”
Images from the cockpit of an airplane show how the planes leave trails through the air.