Russia’s defence ministry has announced its first ever joint air patrol with China, with four bombers, supported by fighter jets, patrolling a pre-planned route over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea yesterday.
South Korea scrambled fighter jets in response, firing flares and warning shots after it claimed Russian planes had intruded on its airspace over the disputed Dokdo/Takeshima islands.
The Japanese government also lodged a complaint against both Russia and South Korea over the incident, saying Russia had violated its airspace, and calling South Korea’s response ‘unacceptable and extremely regrettable.’