MOSCOW: Russia rejected on Saturday a new claim that one of its jets had intercepted a US reconnaissance plane over the Baltic in an “unsafe” manner, and accused Washington of sending “spy-planes” into its airspace.

US authorities said they were “very concerned” after the mid-air standoff on Friday, the latest incident fuelling tension between the former Cold War foes.

“On April 29, 2016, a US Air Force RC-135 aircraft flying a routine route in international airspace over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian SU-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” said a statement by the US European Command (EUCOM).

“There have been repeated incidents over the last year where Russian military aircraft have come close enough to other air and sea traffic to raise serious safety concerns, and we are very concerned with any such behaviour.

“The US aircraft was operating in international airspace and at no time crossed into Russian territory. This unsafe and unprofessional air intercept has the potential to cause serious harm and injury to all aircrews involved.

“More importantly, the unsafe and unprofessional actions of a single pilot have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries. “But Moscow dismissed the incident, insisting it “respects international air safety rules”, and accused Washington of sending “spy planes” to Russia.

“We are starting to get used to the Pentagon’s insults about alleged ‘non-professional maneouvres’ by our jets when they intercept American spy planes on Russia’s frontiers,” said Russian defence ministry spokesman, General Igor Konachenkov.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2016