South Korea scrambles fighter jets after Russian bombers trespass zone

Two Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone multiple times on Friday afternoon, according to Seoul's joint chiefs of staff.


Reporters were alerted to the KADIZ trespassing by text message, South Korean newspaper Segye Ilbo reported.


"At 1:41 p.m. our military captured two Russian military aircraft approaching the KADIZ in the East Sea and took tactical action by scrambling fighter jets," the statement read.

"The Russian military jets entered the KADIZ at 2:08 p.m. on the northern side of Ulleung Island in the East Sea, then departed [KADIZ] at 2:35 p.m. at a point 46 miles southwest of Pohang [city]."

The joint chiefs added the Russian jets returned to South Korean airspace at 3:21 p.m. from a point east of Ieodo, an island.

They then left the airspace at 3:45 p.m. from an area northwest of Jeju Island.

The planes trespassed again near Jeju after 4 p.m., then repeated the action after 5 p.m., according to News 1.

A South Korean official told Segye Ilbo the intrusion marks the first time Russian military planes entered the KADIZ four times in one day.

South Korea's military broadcasted warnings in addition to scrambling fighter jets, according to reports.

The Russian strategic bombers that entered South Korean airspace were identified as the Tupolev TU-95.

The planes were most recently intercepted in Alaska in May.
 (UPI)
 13/7/18