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Russian fighter jet barrel-rolled over US warship, Pentagon says Russian fighter jet barrel-rolled over US warship, Pentagon says
(4 months later)
A Russian fighter jet that flew close to a US spy plane last week performed a barrel roll during the manoeuvre, according to a Pentagon spokesman.A Russian fighter jet that flew close to a US spy plane last week performed a barrel roll during the manoeuvre, according to a Pentagon spokesman.
Pentagon spokesman Navy captain Jeff Davis said a Russian Su-27 flew less than 50ft (15 meters) from the wingtip of an RC-135 reconnaissance plane in international airspace over the Baltic Sea last Thursday.Pentagon spokesman Navy captain Jeff Davis said a Russian Su-27 flew less than 50ft (15 meters) from the wingtip of an RC-135 reconnaissance plane in international airspace over the Baltic Sea last Thursday.
Related: Russian attack jets buzz US warship in riskiest encounter for years
It then “conducted a barrel roll from the left side of the aircraft, going over the top of the aircraft, and ended up on the right side of the aircraft”, Davis said.It then “conducted a barrel roll from the left side of the aircraft, going over the top of the aircraft, and ended up on the right side of the aircraft”, Davis said.
Thursday’s “unsafe and unprofessional” incident came just days after Russian aircraft repeatedly buzzed the USS Donald Cook in a series of incidents decried by the US military.Thursday’s “unsafe and unprofessional” incident came just days after Russian aircraft repeatedly buzzed the USS Donald Cook in a series of incidents decried by the US military.
In one case, a Russian Su-24 flew 30ft (nine meters) above the warship in a “simulated attack profile”, according to the US military’s European Command.In one case, a Russian Su-24 flew 30ft (nine meters) above the warship in a “simulated attack profile”, according to the US military’s European Command.
Ties between Russia and the west have plunged to their lowest point since the cold war over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Kiev and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.Ties between Russia and the west have plunged to their lowest point since the cold war over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Kiev and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
It did not appear that the Russian jets were armed in any of the incidents, the Pentagon said.It did not appear that the Russian jets were armed in any of the incidents, the Pentagon said.