Two Turkish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian IL-20 aircraft over the Black Sea when the Russian military plane began to fly too close to Turkish airspace on Tuesday, the Turkish military said on Wednesday Today`s Zaman reproted.
When the Russian aircraft entered Turkish airspace near the northeastern province of Artvin, two Turkish F-16s took off from Merzifon air base in northern Anatolia and intercepted the Russian military plane near Ordu, another northern Anatolian province, at 5:05 p.m. local time, on Tuesday, a statement from the military said.
Turkish fighter jets followed the Russian aircraft, which then flew into international airspace, by trailing it from within Turkish airspace until the Russian aircraft crossed the Bulgarian border. When the Russian aircraft left the area, the Turkish fighter jets returned to their base.