Russia

Russian MiG-31 Scrambled to Intercept Norwegian Plane Over Barents Sea

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Mikoyan MiG-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft of the Russian air force has intercepted a Norwegian maritime patrol aircraft in the airspace above the Barents Sea, the Russian Defenсe Ministry's National Defenсe Control Center said on Thursday.
Sputnik

"On 3 September, the Russian airspace control systems detected an aerial target approaching Russia's state border in the airspace above the neutral waters of the Barents Sea,"  the center said, adding that a MiG-31 jet was scrambled to prevent a violation of the state border.

According to the press release, the Russian pilot identified the target as a Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft belonging to the Norwegian air force.

"The entire flight of the MiG-31 fighter jet was conducted in strict accordance with the international rules of use of airspace. The Norwegian aircraft has not violated the state border of Russia," the press release read.
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