Russia and China have been conducting exercises with strategic bombers in the skies of the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.
This is the second such exercise in the Asia-Pacific region in the last one year.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said two Russian Tu-95Ms and four Chinese H-6K strategic bombers took part in the joint exercise. “The Russian Aerospace Force and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force have conducted a second joint exercise with long-range aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region,” the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the exercise was part of the implementation of a military cooperation agreement between the two countries and did not target “a third country.” In addition, it has strictly complied with international law.
The Russian Defense Ministry issued the statement after Seoul protested that Russian and Chinese military planes had entered South Korean airspace.
The South Korean military says China has told them a Chinese military plane crashed into South Korean airspace while taking part in a regular flight.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that “China and Russia appear to be conducting joint military exercises, but the matter needs to be looked into further.
South Korea’s state news agency Yonhap reported that Seoul had warned Beijing and Moscow against repeating such incidents.
