Russian fighter jets accused of intercepting Polish plane over Black Sea

Romania says a Russian Su-35 fighter jet intercepted a Polish plane patrolling near its border, putting NATO on "pre-alert" status.

Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement on May 6 that a Polish border guard L410 Turbolet aircraft was conducting a patrol near the Black Sea coast with Romanian border police on May 5 when it was intercepted by a Russian Air Force Su-35 fighter jet. Romania accused the Russian fighter of carrying out "a series of aggressive and dangerous maneuvers" towards the Polish aircraft.

NATO immediately put four Romanian and Spanish fighter jets on "pre-alert" status, ready to take off to intervene. However, the Polish patrol plane later landed safely at Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu military airport without any incident.

Russian Su-35 fighter jet at the Aviadarts competition in Russia, August 27, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Romania's Defense Ministry stressed that the incident occurred "in international airspace over the Black Sea", about 60 km east of its airspace. Polish border guards are expected to issue their own statement today, while Russia has not commented on the incident.

Polish aircraft were deployed in Romania from April 19 to May 17, within the framework of the border patrol operation in the western Black Sea (MMO) organized by Romania, in which Spain and Sweden participated.

MMO is a maritime patrol operation aimed at preventing illegal migration, illegal fishing, marine pollution and combating other types of cross-border crimes in the Black Sea. MMO has been carried out annually since 2019.

Location of Romania and the Black Sea. Graphics: RYV

Duc Trung (According to AFP, Mediafax )

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