Moscow, Apr 13 (IANS): A Russian Su-27 fighter jet escorted a German patrol plane over the Baltic Sea to prevent it from entering Russia's airspace, the Defence Ministry here said.
According to the Ministry, after detecting an air target over the Baltic Sea approaching Russia's airspace, the military flew the Su-27 fighter from the air defence forces of the Western Military District to identify the target and prevent it from violating the state border, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Russian jet escorted the plane, which was confirmed as an R-3C Orion base patrol aircraft of the German navy, over the Baltic sea and then safely returned to its base airfield, said the Ministry.
The Su-27 carried out the mission "in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters without crossing air routes and dangerously approaching an aircraft of a foreign state", it added.