31 May 2020
RUSSIA–NATO TENSIONS CONTINUE ON BOTH FLANKS Russian aircraft have made a number of provocative moves both in the Baltic Sea, as well as along the bloc’s southern wing, in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. There are more and more reports of Russian jets seizing NATO planes.
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ussian jets intercepted two U.S. strategic bombers over international waters of the Black and Baltic Seas on May 29, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets followed the bombers until the B-1Bs changed their direction. This year the Russian military is likely to make more encounters with NATO aircraft than in 2019. Unnamed NATO officials said NATO
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jets stopped Russian planes flying close to NATO airspace nearly 300 times last year. Also, Russian aircraft intercepted those of the military bloc. Russian jets are performing boldly in the southern wing. Five Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish jets intercepted a pair of Russian Tu-22 bomber jets and two Su-27 fighters on May 19, which were flying close to the Romanian air space. Recent weeks have 32
