A Russian Su-30 fighter intercepted two Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters and a French Air Force tanker aircraft approaching the Russian border over the Black Sea. On the air of Sputnik radio, the actions of the Russian pilots were evaluated by military expert Yuri Knutov.
A Russian Su-30 fighter jet was lifted into the sky to intercept two fighters and a French Air Force tanker aircraft approaching the Russian border. This was reported in the information support department of the Black Sea Fleet, which is part of the press service of the Southern Military District.
It is noted that Russian radars detected air targets approaching the Russian border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea.
A raised Su-30 identified them as Mirage 2000 tactical aircraft and a C-135 tanker aircraft of the French Air Force. The crew of a Russian fighter jet escorted the aircraft over the Black Sea, the report said.
As a result of the maneuvers, no violations of the Russian border were allowed.
On the air of Sputnik radio, military expert, director of the Museum of Air Defense Forces Yuri Knutov commented on the incident.
"Our air defense forces are on round-the-clock combat duty, and the duty is equivalent to the performance of a combat mission. It is carried by radio-technical troops, anti-aircraft missile troops, and fighter aircraft. As soon as the planes approach our air border (if they are not passenger planes that go on a certain route), they are considered potential violators, and fighter jets are raised to intercept them. In this case, NATO planes were flying along our border – we are raising our interceptors, which monitor the actions of these scouts and prevent them from entering our airspace. Obstruct in the literal sense of the word – physically, if necessary. That is, they block the course for flying into the territory of Russia, " Yuri Knutov said.
He appreciated the actions of the Russian pilots.
"The NATO countries have two tasks: to open our missile defense system, to record the radiation characteristics of radar stations, missile guidance stations, and the second is to exhaust our military personnel who are on combat duty. Therefore, there are constant violations. But our personnel are prepared for such loads. The fact that we are acting quite harshly and decisively is justified. Because the goal pursued by NATO is not at all noble: information is collected, they are preparing for military provocations, and, perhaps, for military actions. To prevent this, we disrupt such reconnaissance flights. All this indicates a good level of training of both our pilots and military personnel of the radio engineering troops. And also that our sky is under lock and key," the military expert concluded.
