Russian MiG-31 Fighter Intercepts American and Norwegian Aircraft Over Barents Sea

“A Northern Fleet patrol scrambled a MiG-31 fighter to identify air targets and prevent violation of the Russian state border. The crew of the Russian fighter identified the air targets as a US Navy R-8A Poseidon aircraft and a Norwegian Air Force R-3C Orion aircraft and escorted them over the Barents Sea”, the Russian military said in an official statement on Monday.

NATO aircraft have intensified reconnaissance activities near the Russian border since the end of 2020, with the last such incident occurring on Friday when a Russian plane intercepted an American reconnaissance aircraft over the Pacific Ocean.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that such frequent flights by US and NATO aircraft near the country’s border poses a risk of accidental escalation.