The Black Sea harbour of Constanta is seen from one of the windows of the ATL2 Atlantique 2 airplane over the Black Sea during the Sea Shield 2023 military exercise, Romania, on March 30, 2023. AFP FILE PHOTO
BUCHAREST 鈥� A Russian fighter intercepted a Polish plane patrolling for the EU鈥檚 border agency over the Black Sea, Romania鈥檚 defence ministry said Saturday, denouncing Moscow鈥檚 鈥渁ggressive and dangerous鈥� behavior.
The Polish border guard plane was on a routine Frontex patrol with Romanian border police Friday when it was intercepted by repeated 鈥渁ggressive and dangerous maneuvers鈥�, performed by the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter, said a ministry statement.
Romanian and Spanish planes were put on 鈥減re-alert鈥� by NATO when the incident happened, but the Polish crew managed to land safely, the statement added.
The incident took place 鈥渋n international airspace over the Black Sea,鈥� around 60 kilometers east of Romania鈥檚 airspace, said the ministry.
鈥淭his incident is further evidence of the provocative approach of the Russian Federation in the Black Sea.鈥� said Bucharest.
Contacted by AFP, the European border agency Frontex did not immediately respond. Polish border guards declined to comment, saying a statement would be issued on Sunday.
The Polish plane has been deployed in Romania from April 19 and is due to stay there until May 17, part of a Frontex operation organized by Romania that also includes Spain and Sweden.
RELATED STORIES