Russian authorities claim that a US spy plane threatened a civilian plane and almost triggered a ‘catastrophe’ in the air. But the ‘catastrophe’ was prevented after a Russian passenger plane swooped in to avoid a US NATO spy plane in the Black Sea.
As reported by AFP on Monday (12/6/2021), Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said a CL600 reconnaissance aircraft used by NATO rapidly lowered altitude on Friday (3/12) morning local time while flying over the flight path for an Aeroflot aircraft on the Tel route. Aviv-Moscow. Ekonomi Rusia
The Aeroflot flight, which was carrying 142 people, reportedly had to lower its altitude by 500 meters to maintain distance from the NATO surveillance plane, which the pilot of the plane could see from the cockpit with the naked eye.
A second, smaller plane, flying from the city of Sochi to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, also had to reroute to avoid the reconnaissance plane. Berita politik dan ekonomi Rusia
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Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency stated that “the direction and altitude of the commercial flight was immediately changed” in order to avoid a collision. It added that the surveillance plane did not respond to radio communications from air traffic control operators.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency did not specify the country operating the reconnaissance plane. But a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, indicated on Sunday (5/12) local time that the surveillance plane belonged to the United States.
“The actions of the US Air Force have created a threat to civil aviation,” Zakharova said in a statement.
“If now a catastrophe in the airspace over the open waters of the Black Sea is averted, this does not mean the United States and NATO can continue to risk the lives of people with impunity.” Politik Rusia
In a statement, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said it would file a diplomatic protest regarding this incident.
“Increased activity by NATO aircraft near Russian borders, including over the Black Sea, creates a risk of dangerous accidents involving civilian aircraft,” he said. Politik Indonesia