MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian Defense Ministry said it scrambled a Su-27 air superiority fighter over the Baltics on Tuesday to intercept and escort a US B-52 strategic bomber that approached its borders.
"The crew of the Russian Su-27, in approaching the aerial object at a safe distance, identified it as a US B-52 strategic bomber and escorted it," the ministry said in a statement.
The incident over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea took place at 07:00 GMT, the ministry said. The Su-27, which serves as part of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet air defense patrol, returned to its airfield after carrying out the operation.