Japan scrambled fighter jets to monitor nuclear-capable Russian warplanes that flew over international waters along the edge of Japanese airspace off its coast.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan’s air force launched the jets in response to Russian bombers approaching the Sea of Japan.
The Defence ministry said the two Tu-95 bombers, accompanied by two Su-35 fighters, had initially flown toward Japan’s Sado Island before turning northward. The ministry also released a map showing the flight path of the Russian aircraft off Japan’s west coast over the Sea of Japan.
“Russia is conducting active military operations on a daily basis around our country even as it carries out the invasion of Ukraine—this is the reality,” Mr Koizumi said on X.
The Tu-95 that approached Japan’s coast is a nuclear-capable strategic bomber, while the Su-35 is a multirole fighter aircraft that has also been used in Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry on Friday claimed that the two Tu-95 completed an 11-hour flight over “neutral waters of the Sea of Japan” while “strictly adhering to international airspace regulations”.
“During certain segments of the flight, the strategic missile carriers were escorted by foreign fighters, the defence ministry added. Russia has been accused of previously flying bombers over international waters around Japan in January this year.
The incident took place hours before Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, pledged in her first speech to parliament since taking office to accelerate a defence buildup. Ms Takaichi said Russia‘s military activities, along with those of China and North Korea, were posing a “serious concern”.
FILE – A Tu-95 strategic bomber from the Russian air force prepares to take off from an air base in Engels near the Volga River in Russia (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service)
European countries have accused Russia in recent weeks of repeated incursions with drones and jets, most recently on Thursday, when Nato-member Lithuania said Russian fighters had briefly flown into its airspace. Moscow denied that its planes conducting exercises nearby had flown into Lithuanian airspace.
Two Russian military aircraft, an Su-30 fighter jet and an II-78 refuelling tanker, flew over the Nato member state on Thursday for approximately 18 seconds, prompting a formal reaction from the alliance. They were possibly on a refuelling training mission when they flew 700m at 1500 GMT, the military said.
“I strongly condemn the violation of Lithuanian airspace by the fighter jet and transport plane of the Russian Federation from a Kaliningrad region site,” Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda said in a statement.
“This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania,” he added on X. “Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness.”
Nato’s Baltic Air Policing scrambled Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets that were patrolling the area in response. It deployed aircraft to the Lithuanian airbase of Siauliai as part of its Operation Eastern Sentry.
A Nato official said that the swift response demonstrated its “readiness to respond to any developments and ability to ensure the safety of the alliance’s airspace”.
Lithuania summoned Russia’s top diplomat to issue a stern protest after the incident. It has informed the alliance, European Union allies and the North Atlantic Council of the episode, the country’s foreign ministry said.