Russian fighter escorts US bomber above Sea of Japan

Moscow, October 18

A Russian fighter jet escorted a strategic bomber over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, the Dfence Ministry in Moscow said.

Russian radars on Sunday detected an air target approaching the Russian border over the Sea of Japan, and a MiG-31 fighter from Russia’s Eastern Military District took off in response, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying.

The Russian crew identified the air target as a US Air Force B-1B strategic bomber, before escorting it away.

No violation of Russian borders occurred, and the Russian aircraft strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace, the Ministry added. — IANS