Russian Fighter Jet Scrambled to Intercept US Plane Over Barents Sea, Military Says

For several weeks now, the Russian Armed Forces have been detecting foreign jets engaging in reconnaissance activities close to Russia’s airspace almost every day.

A Russian fighter jet has been scrambled to intercept a US plane approaching the country's border over the Barents Sea, Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"On 13 August, Russian airspace control systems detected an airborne target approaching the Russian border over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea. To identify the target, a MiG-31BM fighter was scrambled", the National Defence Management Centre said.

The US plane was identified as a Boeing P-8a Poseidon.

According to the military, since the beginning of August, the Russian Defence Ministry's National Defence Control Centre (NDCC) has had to scramble fighter jets to intercept US planes over the Black Sea at least five times. In July, Russian fighter jets were dispatched to intercept US planes at least seven times.

Russian jets identify foreign aircraft, escort them until they turn away from Russia’s state border, and then return to their airfields.

On 29 July, US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper told reporters that Washington plans to withdraw 11,900 military personnel from Germany and deploy them to other locations in a "manner that will enhance NATO and boost deterrence of Russia".

Esper said that the US will reposition a fighter squadron and elements of a fighter wing to Italy, thus "moving them closer to the Black Sea region".

He also stated that more troops may be moved from Germany to Poland and the Baltic countries.