Video: Russian Su-27 Jet Gets Close to US Navy Plane in ‘Unsafe Encounter’

The U.S. Navy released video footage of what it called an “unsafe encounter,” showing a Russian fighter jet intercepting an American EP-3 reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea.

The video shows the Russian jet blasting past the EP-3 with its afterburner activated and appears to come within a few hundred feet of it.

“This interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the SU-27 conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft, putting at risk the pilots and crew. The intercepting SU-27 made an additional pass, closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner while conducting a banking turn away,” the Navy said in a statement on Nov. 5.

The EP-3 crew experienced “turbulence following the first interaction, and vibrations from the second,” adding that the whole intercept was about 25 minutes, the Navy said.

“The U.S. aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity,” the statement reads.

“While the Russian military is within its right to exercise within international airspace, this interaction was irresponsible. We expect them to behave within international standards set to ensure safety and to prevent incidents, including the 1972 Agreement for the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas (INCSEA). Unsafe actions‎ increase the risk of miscalculation and potential for midair collisions,” the statement concluded.

The Russian Ministry of Defense denied the Navy’s claims that the Su-27 intercepted the EP-3 in an unsafe manner.

“The jet’s crew reported identifying the U.S. reconnaissance plane and accompanied it, preventing a violation of Russian airspace and followed all necessary safety procedures,” the statement from Russian defense officials said, according to Russian state-backed Sputnik News.