Video: Watch Russia's Deadly Su-27 Fighter in Action

Mark Episkopos

Security,

The clip, already short at just over half a minute, is generously spliced with b-reel of the Su-27 taking off and landing. However, it does show approximately ten seconds of an Su-27 tailing the Gulfstream plane in question. According to the statement, the Gulfstream was flying with its transponder turned off. The Su-27 briefly shadowed the Gulfstream “at a safe distance” before the latter altered its course, turning away from the Russian border.

A Russian Su-27 fighter has intercepted a Swedish Gulfstream reconnaissance plane in neutral airspace near the Russian border.

The Russian Ministry of Defense released a statement later that day: "An aerial target approaching Russia's state border was spotted by Russian airspace controls. A Su-27 fighter jet from the Air Force was employed to intercept the target."

The same day, the Russians published footage of the interception. The clip, already short at just over half a minute, is generously spliced with b-reel of the Su-27 taking off and landing. However, it does show approximately ten seconds of an Su-27 tailing the Gulfstream plane in question. According to the statement, the Gulfstream was flying with its transponder turned off. The Su-27 briefly shadowed the Gulfstream “at a safe distance” before the latter altered its course, turning away from the Russian border.

Russia frequently scrambles jets to intercept unidentified planes approaching its vast airspace. However, the Kremlin seldom publishes video footage of the act; what, then, prompted it to do so on this occasion? The Defense Ministry’s statement and video comes on the heels of a prior dispute, in which Sweden accused Russia of violating its airspace with an Il-20 plane and two Su-27 Flanker fighters that flew 135 kilometers off Sweden’s southern coast.

Russia flatly denied the charges: "All flights take place in strict accordance with the international rules governing the use of airspace, without violations of the borders of other states." The Gulfstream interception comes less than a week after Sweden’s accusation. Publicizing what is otherwise a mundane, low-scale reconnaissance flight is a way for Russia to turn the tables on Sweden with a counterclaim.