Tense footage shows Russian SU-35 fighter jet intercept two US nuclear bombers over Baltic Sea
21 March 2023, 11:53 | Updated: 21 March 2023, 17:54
Footage purports to show moment Russian plane intercepts American bomber
This is the tense moment a Russian SU-35 fighter jet intercepted two US nuclear bombers over the Baltic Sea, according to footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry.
Russia said one SU-35 fighter jet was scrambled to meet two US B-52 nuclear bombers that were heading towards its border.
The defence ministry confirmed the fighter jet returned to its based after the bombers moved away from the border.
Footage, seemingly taken from the Russian fighter jet, shows one of the two US bombers flying above the clouds.
Meanwhile, Russia also confirmed that two of its own nuclear bombers had flown over the Sea of Japan for seven hours, as Japan's prime minister announced a visit to Ukraine.
"On March 20, radar facilities of the air defence forces of the Western military district on duty over the Baltic Sea detected two air targets flying in the direction of the Russian Federation's state border," the ministry said on Telegram.
At the same time, China's President Xi Jinping is in Moscow for the second day in row as his country appears to develop closer ties with Russia.
The tense aerial moment between Russia and US is the second in a matter of weeks after a Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a US surveillance drone over the Black Sea.
American officials were forced to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters on March 13, the US military said.
Read More: Tense footage shows Russian fighter jet colliding with American Reaper drone over Black Sea
Footage shows moment Russian Su-27 performs unsafe intercept of US Air Force drone
The White House said the downing of an American drone was "unsafe and unprofessional", but Moscow immediately denied involvement.
In a statement after the crash, the Russian Defence Ministry denied colliding with the American drone, suggesting the US aircraft went into "uncontrolled flight" due to "sharp manoeuvring".
