The three separate incidents involve US Navy P-8A reconnaissance aircraft which “were flying over the Mediterranean in international airspace when the interceptions occurred”, a spokesman for the US Department of Defense said. Captain Mike Kafka.
“While no one was hurt, interactions like these can lead to misunderstandings and mistakes that might lead to more serious consequences,” he added, noting that the United States has protested these incidents to Moscow “through diplomatic channels”.
According to a US official who requested anonymity, one of the Russian aircraft came dangerously close to an American plane.
These air incidents come at a time of extreme tension between the United States and Russia around Ukraine.
Westerners have been worried for weeks regarding the risks of an attack on Ukraine by Russia, which has massed more than 100,000 soldiers on the borders of this country, an explosive situation at the heart of the worst crisis with Moscow since the end of the Cold War.
