Russian fighter jet intercepts US bomber

The Russian Defense Ministry is claiming one of its fighter jets, an Su-27 Flanker, intercepted and escorted a U.S. B-52 bomber over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday.

The ministry said the U.S. plane was identified over international waters near Russia’s border. “A Sukhoi-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Sea Fleet’s air defense force was dispatched to intercept the target,” according to a statement provided to TASS news agency. “The crew of Russia’s Sukhoi-27 jet approached the aircraft staying at a safe distance, identified it as a US strategic bomber B-52 and escorted it for some time.”