At approximately 11:19 a.m. on Aug. 28, 2020, two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter pilots intercepted a U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber that was conducting routine operations in the black sea over international waters. The Russian pilots flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while crossing within 100 feet of the nose of the B-52 multiple times at co-altitude and while in afterburner causing turbulence and restricting the B-52’s ability to maneuver. The U.S. Air Force routinely operates aircraft in the region in accordance with recognized international safety standards as prescribed in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules of flight.
Earlier, the Russian National Defense Control Center reporter that the Russian Su-27 planes scrambled Friday to intercept the US B-52 bomber over the Black Sea. According to the Russian military, the airborne target has been detected over the neutral waters. The Center disclosed that “the pilots of the Russian jets approached the flying object at a safe distance and identified it as a US Air Force B-52 bomber,” underscoring that the bomber was not allowed to violate the Russian border. After the US B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber turned back, the Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter successfully returned to their home airfield.
