[quote]Encounter comes amid growing tension between two powers
A Russian jet fighter conducted what the Pentagon described as an “unsafe,” close-range intercept of a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea Wednesday, at one point closing to within 10 feet, U.S. officials said.
The maneuver came amid growing Washington-Moscow tensions over talks in Syria, a cease-fire in Ukraine and mounting U.S. concern that Russian hackers are [url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-undermining-international-order-says-u-s-defense-secretary-ash-carter-1473248430]targeting U.S. electoral systems[/url].
Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the intercept lasted about 19 minutes and described it as a potentially dangerous maneuver.
“These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident,” Capt. Davis said.
A U.S. defense official said the Russian Su-27 maintained a 30-foot distance from the U.S. P-8A Poseidon aircraft before closing to within 10 feet, a perilously close brush.
Russia [url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officials-warn-russia-over-alleged-hacks-1473285092]has denied it is behind recent cyberattacks[/url] in the U.S. against the Democratic National Committee and said Wednesday [url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-says-u-s-russia-could-agree-on-syria-cease-fire-deal-1472965367]that talks with the U.S. over Syria may continue this week[/url]. The U.S. didn’t confirm any planned talks on Syria following a failure by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin to forge a deal on the [url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-putin-meet-on-sidelines-of-g-20-summit-in-chinas-hangzhou-1473056453]sidelines of an international summit in China this week[/url].
Russia hadn’t commented late Wednesday on the U.S. complaints about the Black Sea confrontation.
[/quote]
Fishy.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-fighter-buzzes-u-s-surveillance-plane-1473290303