Russia said Thursday, December 9 that it had launched fighters to intercept and escort American and French military planes flying near its borders in the Black Sea, in the midst of tensions between Moscow and the West.
Read also Viktor Erofeïev: "Russia has become a gigantic collective thug"
"
To identify the air targets and avoid a violation of the borders of the Russian Federation, three Su-27 fighters took off,
" the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. According to this source, they intercepted and escorted two French Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighters, a French air force KC-135 refueller as well as two American reconnaissance planes, a CL-600 “
Artemis
” and RC-135.
The five planes turned around and then the Russian fighter planes returned to their base, the ministry said.
The day before, Moscow had already announced that it had intercepted and escorted three French aircraft over the Black Sea.
Relations have been very tense in recent weeks between Russia and Western countries, which accuse Moscow of massing troops on the border with Ukraine for a military operation.
Read alsoIn Russia, research will soon be launched to find the remains of seven Empire generals
In an interview Tuesday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden threatened Russia with "
strong
economic
sanctions
" in the event of an attack on Kiev.
Biden is due to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday to discuss the subject.
On Wednesday, France for its part warned Moscow of "
strategic and massive consequences
" in the event of an attack on Ukraine.
Moscow denies any belligerent inclination and accuses the NATO countries of multiplying "
provocations
", for example by carrying out military maneuvers near its borders in the Black Sea.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/KMEYMJKESBAZBE4MRBAM4TGHIQ.jpg)
