The North American Aerospace Defense Command has reported that Canadian and American fighter jets intercepted Russian war planes this week.
The news was reported by the Canadian Press, which said according to NORAD the planes “did not violate Canadian or U.S. airspace.”
According to NORAD spokesman Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, American fighter jets intercepted six Russian fighter jets and bombers on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, Canadian pilots intercepted two Russian bombers over Beaufort sea, which is north of the Northwest Territories.
The intercepts are nothing new, apparently. Jazdyk said Canadian and American jets have intercepted about 50 Russian jets over the last five years.
A U.S. official told CNN that the incidents had something to do with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s visits to Canada and the United States last week.
Tensions have been high between the United States and Russia due to the situation in Ukraine.
The top general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said Saturday that the recent ceasefire between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels is a “cease-fire in name only.”
