NATO fighter jet flies close to Russian Defense Minister's plane, Su-27 fiercely chases
On August 13, a NATO F-18 aircraft flew close to the plane carrying the Russian Defense Minister over the Baltic Sea, forcing the Su-27 to take drastic action.
Video clip of the incident
The incident occurred when the plane carrying Minister Sergey Shoigu returned from the Kaliningrad region with the protection of two Su-27 fighter jets, the Russian Defense Ministry's Zvezda TV channel said.
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| NATO fighter jets above, Su-27s below |
In a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry, a NATO fighter jet can be seen approaching Mr. Shoigu’s plane. The camera shows the F-18 getting very close but seconds later it veers to the left after being chased away by the Sukhoi fighter.
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The Su-27 Flanker is a Russian fourth-generation fighter aircraft that has been in service since the 1980s. This reliable aircraft is used all over the world.
Meanwhile, the F/A-18 Hornet is a multi-role fighter jet that has been used extensively by the US and its allies over the years. The US fleet has been upgraded to Super Hornets, but older aircraft are still used by US NATO allies in Europe, such as Finland.