Moscow. September 23. INTERFAX-AVN-The Russian Defense Ministry has denied the information of the Estonian authorities about the violation of the Estonian airspace by a Russian A-50 aircraft during a flight from the Kaliningrad region.
"The flight was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace, without violating the borders of other states, which is confirmed by means of objective control," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
A-50 is a long-range radar detection aircraft. It is called the "flying radar" or Russian AWACS.
"On September 22, the crew of the A-50 aircraft of the Aerospace Forces carried out a planned flight from the airfield in the Kaliningrad region to the point of permanent deployment. The flight took place on a pre - agreed route with the transponder turned on," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The crew of the aircraft was in contact with the Estonian air traffic controllers, who did not make any claims against the Russian crew," the Russian military department said.
Earlier on Thursday, it became known that the Estonian Foreign Ministry handed over a note to Russian Ambassador Alexander Petrov in connection with the violation of the republic's airspace by a Russian aircraft. "The Estonian side protested and handed the ambassador a note about the violation of Estonian airspace that occurred on Wednesday, "the press service of the Estonian Foreign Ministry told Interfax.
Estonia stated that "there is a reprehensible and serious incident and that it considers unacceptable a series of repeated violations of the country's air border."
As the press service of the General staff of the Estonian Defense Forces later reported, on Tuesday, a Russian A-50 aircraft entered the Estonian airspace without permission in the area of Vaindloo Island. The plane was over the territory of Estonia for less than a minute.
The plane had a flight plan, but the transponder of the aircraft was disabled. At the time of the violation, the aircraft did not maintain two-way communication. According to the Estonian General Staff, this was the sixth violation of the Estonian air border by Russian aircraft this year.
On September 21, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that two Tu-160 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons were patrolling the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea for many hours.
"Fighter escort was provided by the crews of Su-35S aircraft of the Air Force and Air Defense Association of the Western Military District and Su-27 naval aviation of the Baltic Fleet," the Defense Ministry said at the time.
"At some stages of the route, Russian strategic missile carriers were accompanied by F-16 fighters of the Italian and Danish Air Forces, F-18 of the Finnish Air Force, Saab JAS-39 Gripen of the Swedish Air Force and other foreign aircraft," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
On September 21, the Russian Baltic Fleet announced the start of a command and staff training with the participation of more than 1 thousand servicemen of the army corps, which is stationed in the Kaliningrad region.
