US Concerned Over Intercepts of Planes ‘Violating Russia, China’s Security’
Washington has recently increased reconnaissance flights near Russia’s and China’s borders, while accusing Moscow and Beijing of intercepting US spy planes that are “violating their national security.”
However, on May 22, US Air Combat Command Commander Gen. Herbert Carlisle in an interview with USA Today newspaper criticized the increasing “aggressiveness” of Russian and Chinese combat aircraft intercepting US military planes. He added that the concerns are caused by attempts by Moscow and Beijing to expand their influence in Eastern Europe and the Pacific region.
Chinese military expert Zhang Junshu said in an interview with Global Times newspaper that the increased number of US spy planes near Chinese and Russian borders is a serious violation of their state security.
Gen. Carlisle also said that the number of Russian long-range bombers in Eastern Europe and near the US west coast is increasing while China wants to take control over the South China Sea.
“Our concern is a resurgent Russia and a very, very aggressive China,” he said.
While the US accuses Russia and China of “aggressive” actions the US is in fact deploying the largest military actions against Russia and China since the time of World War II, according to Iran News. The majority of interceptions of US spy planes took place near the borders of Russia and China, the analyst said.
The US admitted that last year the Pentagon conducted over 700 patrols in the South China Sea, including over 100 spy flights.
According to the expert, this violates Russian and Chinese national security. Moscow and Beijing have the right control such activities. He also said that despite the fact that Beijing and Washington have agreed a number of maritime security memorandums China will not turn a blind eye to the US’ surveillance activities.
Over the last three weeks, RC-135 spy planes of the US Air Force have approached Russian borders 14 times, including over the Baltic Sea, in the Murmansk Region and in the Far East.
The latest incident took place on Sunday when an RC-135V plane flew near the Russian border over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft, tail number 64-14844 and call sign TROG34, took off from the Mildenhall airbase in Britain and flew in the southern part of the Baltic Sea.