Contrails form as a Russian Su-35 engages in a hard turn at an international airshow.
Camera IconContrails form as a Russian Su-35 engages in a hard turn at an international airshow. Credit: Supplied, AFP

Russian and US warplanes in tense standoff over Syria’s Euphrates River

Jamie SeidelNews Corp Australia

TWO Russian Su-25 ground-attack aircraft escorted by a Su35 fighter crossed the Euphrates River demarcation line in Syria yesterday, sparking what US military officials say was a serious incident.

It’s just the latest in a series of tense stand-offs, backed by a growing war of words between Washington and Moscow, arising as Islamic State loses its last strongholds and Syria’s attention turns towards US-backed anti-President Bashar al-Assad rebels.

Under a longstanding agreement to avoid potential clashes, coalition air force activity is limited to the east of the Euphrates — and Russian forces to its west.

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But yesterday Russian warplanes reportedly crossed the river and ignored repeated warnings that they were operating outside their boundaries.

It follows Russian claims of a similar incident last week — which US officials declared never happened, saying it was a propaganda response to an article in The New York Times critical of Russia’s aggressive air activities in Syria.

F-22 fighter jets crossed in front of trespassing Russian warplanes, deploying flares as a warning.
Camera IconF-22 fighter jets crossed in front of trespassing Russian warplanes, deploying flares as a warning. Credit: News Limited, News Corp

AIR INCURSION

The Russian ground attack aircraft yesterday “flew into co-ordinated coalition airspace on the east side of the Euphrates River near Abu Kamal, Syria, and were promptly intercepted,” Air Forces Central Command spokesman Lt. Colonel Damien Pickart told Military.com.

According to US media reports, US military officials say two F-22 Raptor stealth fighters were tasked to intercept and turn back the Russian force.

Both stealth jets used a tactic known as ‘headbutting’, where they cross ahead of intruding aircraft and fire flares as a means of getting attention — and a warning.

Russian Su-25 Frogfood ground attack aircraft like those involved in yesterday’s incident.
Camera IconRussian Su-25 Frogfood ground attack aircraft like those involved in yesterday’s incident. Credit: AP

One Su-25 Frogfoot ignored the warning calls and manouvers, coming so close to an F-22 “that it had to aggressively manoeuvre to avoid a midair collision.”

A Russian interceptor, an Su-35 Flanker, also crossed the Euphrates a short time later.

“The incident lasted approximately 40 minutes before the Russian aircraft flew to the west side of the river. During and following the encounter, coalition leaders ... contacted the Russians on the deconfliction line to de-escalate the situation and avert a strategic miscalculation,” Colonel Pickart said.

Russia has been increasingly ignoring the operational demarcation line, the US spokesman said, crossing the Euphrates River between six and eight times each day.

But Moscow government news agency TASS quoted Russian Defence Ministry source as saying the incident took place on the west of the Euphrates.

“On December 13, a pair of Su-25 attack aircraft escorted a humanitarian convoy near Meiadin (the western bank of the Euphrates River) at an altitude of 3300 meters, and an American fighter F-22 approached them from the eastern bank of the river, firing off heat traps, The F-22 was interfering with a pair of Russian Su-25s. The Russian fighter Su-35S, which was operating at an altitude of 10,000 meters, was rapidly approaching the F-22 from the rear hemisphere, after which the American fighter left the area, “ the spokesman said.

A Russian Sukhoi SU-35 climbs hard as it flies over Le Bourget airport, near Paris on June 20, 2013 during the 50th International Paris Air show.
Camera IconA Russian Sukhoi SU-35 climbs hard as it flies over Le Bourget airport, near Paris on June 20, 2013 during the 50th International Paris Air show. Credit: AFP

RUSSIA RESPONDS

Russia’s Defence Ministry on Saturday released a statement accusing the United States of intercepting a force remarkably similar to those involved in yesterday’s incident.

“The F-22 launched decoy flares and used airbrakes while constantly manoeuvring (near Russian Su25 strike jets), imitating an air fight,” Sputnik quotes defence ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov as saying.

“After the appearance of a Russian multifunctional super manoeuverable Su-35S fighter, the American fighter stopped dangerous manoeuvres and hurried to move into Iraqi airspace,” he said.

Russia’s defence ministry accuses US and Coalition forces of interfering with its “anti-terrorist” activities.

“Most close-midair encounters between Russian and US jets in the area around the Euphrates River have been linked to the attempts of US aircraft to get in the way (of us) striking against Islamic State terrorists,” Major Konashenkov said.

But the US air force earlier this week denied any such incident took place.

“It’s interesting the Russians didn’t raise these unfounded allegations until a New York Times article publicly exposed a serious matter the Coalition has tried diligently to address daily via the deconfliction line,” an Air Force official told Business Insider.

“Had an F-22 actually flown across the river into their deconflicted airspace, the Russians would have raised this on the call and it would have been discussed. Coalition deconfliction call transcripts show no such incident ever transpired,” the official said.

Russia’s aggressive stance is a matter of increasing concern to Coalition forces operating in Syria.

“It’s become increasingly tough for our pilots to discern whether Russian pilots are deliberately testing or baiting us into reacting, or if these are just honest mistakes,” Colonel Pickart told the Times.

It is a sentiment he echoed again today.

“The coalition’s greatest concern is that we could shoot down a Russian aircraft because its actions are seen as a threat to our air or ground forces,” Colonel Pickart told Military.com.

“We are not here to fight the Russians and Syrians — our focus remains on defeating ISIS. That said, if anyone threatens coalition or friendly partner forces in the air or on the ground, we will defend them.”