MOSCOW. July 13 (Interfax) - Russian fighter jets were scrambled to "intercept" a United States Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft on Saturday after an airborne target flying toward the Russian state border had been detected over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"On July 2020, Russia's control means of the airspace over the neutral water of the Sea of Japan detected an airborne target flying towards the Russian state border. The Sukhoi SU-35S and MiG-31BM jet fighters from the Eastern Military District's air defense duty crews were scrambled to identify and intercept the target and identified it as a U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane after approaching the target. The Russian fighter jets followed the reconnaissance aircraft at a safe distance," the ministry said in a statement seen by Interfax.
"The Russian fighter jets returned to the deployment airport after the U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane had turned around and retreated from the Russian state border," it said.