The Country That Cried “Russia”: South Korea Claims Its Jets Fired Warning Shots At Russian Bombers

Support SouthFront

ILLUSTRATIVE

On July 23^rd, a Russian warplane violated South Korean airspace above the East Sea twice, South Korean outlet YonHap reported, citing unnamed military officials.

The airplane trespassed in the territorial sky above the East Sea near South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo earlier in the day for two brief periods in breach of international treaties, according to officers from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

In response the South Korean Air Force deployed multiple fighter jets, including F-15Ks and F-16Ks, to track the plane. According to the South Korean version of events, they fired flares and hundreds warning shots after sending messages in accordance with operation manuals.

That was the first time the warplane entered South Korean airspace, according to the report.

Earlier, according to the report, in an exquisitely unclear explanation, it appears that two Chinese warplanes also entered the Korean air defense zone above the East Sea, about 3 hours before the Russian warplane entered twice. And then the Chinese ones, joined the two Russian bombers and flew southward together over the East Sea.

The entire situation is quite unclear, as Yonhap, which is the original source of the report makes very little sense in its explanation of the situation.

In a later report it became clear, however:

“The Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft trespassed in the territorial sky above the East Sea near South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo earlier in the day for two brief periods in breach of international treaties, according to officers from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The incident came right after two Tu-95 Russian bombers and two Chinese H-6 aircraft entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without prior notice earlier in the day, the officers said, adding that the two Russian bombers again trespassed on the air defense zone in the afternoon.”

In the second report, Yonhap cited Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu.

“(The ministry) called in the deputy chief of the Russian Embassy to lodge a stern protest and call for the prevention of a recurrence.”

In addition, the presidential office also responded to the alleged misconduct.

“We have taken this incident very seriously. If it happens again, we will take much more serious measures,” said a representative of the presidential administration, Ko Min Jung. It is noted that the protest was sent to the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that its Tu-95MS bomber didn’t violate South Korea’s airspace.

“On July 23, 2019, two strategic Tu-95ms bomber aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces of Russia carried out a planned flight in the airspace above the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan,” the Ministry noted.

As specified by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the warplanes did not violate the borders of other state.

“According to objective control, the route of the Tu-95MS aircraft passed without deviations from the plan in accordance with international regulations more than 25 km away from the Dokdo Islands (Takeshima), without disturbing South Korea’s airspace,” the Defense Ministry said.

“In the area of the Dokdo Islands (Takeshima), two South Korean F-16 fighters approached Russian aircraft, making non-professional maneuvers, crossing the course of Russian strategic rocket carriers and posing a threat to their security,” the department said.

The Defense Ministry clarified that “South Korean pilots did not get in touch with the crews of the Tu-95MS, and after using heat flares, the F-16 maneuvered away from the Russian aircraft.”

The ministry also noted that it was not for the first time that the South Korean fighters were trying unsuccessfully to prevent Russian aircraft from freely moving, “referring to some South Korean spontaneous air defense identification zone.” However, the Defense Ministry explained that such zones are not provided for by international rules, as Russia has repeatedly brought up to the South Korean side through various channels.”

Japan released own statement, with photographs and maps showing the path of the Russian warplanes, as well as photographs of them.

The Japanese Self-Defense Air Force raised its fighters into the air in connection with the incident that occurred between Russian and South Korean military aircraft in the area of ​​the disputed Takeshima (Tokdo) islands in the Sea of ​​Japan.

This was announced on Tuesday at a press conference in Tokyo by the secretary general of the Japanese cabinet, Yoshihide Suga.

“We responded to these actions by raising self-defense fighters into the air,” he said.

This is of interest for Japan since the Takeshima Islands are the subject of a dispute between Tokyo and Seoul. Japan claims that South Korea illegally occupied these territories, that were part of the Japanese Empire in 1905.

According to the Japanese Defense Ministry the “incident” included – 2 Chinese H-6 bomber and 2 Russian Tu-95 bombers. In addition, one Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft invaded Takeshima Airspace.

The following are the photographs of the warplanes, as well as the map of the flight path, provided by Japan.

Map showing flight path of the Chinese and Russian aircraft. Click to see full-size.

Map of Russian A-50 flight path, both times. Click to see full-size image

Chinese H-6 bomber. Click to see full-size image

Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber. Click to see full-size image

Russian A-50. Click to see full-size image

Most recently, in mid-June, South Korea scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russia’s Tu-95 strategic bombers that entered its air defense identification zone.

There are continuous reports, since Russia has the audacity of wanting to have its airplanes leave its borders, or wants it borders respected. Such as Russia scrambling Su-27 fighter jets to intercept NATO spy jets along its borders. Naturally, UK media presents it as if Russia instigated the incident and that situation is its principal fault for not allowing the NATO aircraft to freely do what it desires.

There are also examples of Royal Air Force jets scrambling above the Baltics to intercept Russian combat aircraft.

This is the general NATO-approach, which was directly “inherited” from the US – an incident is instigated in some way or another, or there is simply a claim of an incident and then the “bad side” – Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria is slandered in MSM. The side that instigated or created the incident out of thin air screams of “aggression” and the accused side is instantly proven guilty and retaliation is initiated.

A recent example is the UK seizing an Iranian tanker passing through Gibraltar, then saying that Iran was at fault. When Iran responds by seizing a UK tanker, which was sailing into Iranian waters without permission, the UK screamed “aggression.”

It is starting to resemble the story of the boy who cried “Wolf,” and it is glaringly starting to show. South Korea just now decided to jump on the band wagon.

And, it is at a very “opportune” time – Japan ramping up trade restrictions on South Korea, very little progress made on receiving any reparations from Tokyo over WW2. A “win” is needed, especially one that reminds who the “true enemy.” After all, it sent some fighter jets to the presumed air defense zone, shot a few machine gun volleys in the general direction of the Tu-95s or the A-50, said that was the reason it left, and it is a victory. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said that the warplanes were not in any South Korean airspace, and felt no threat from the F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, and if they did – there would be an immediate reaction. But who’s listening? MSM Isn’t.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

• Gulf Conflict Report: Prospects Of War Between Iran And U.S.
• UK Media Found ‘Russian Trace’ In Recent Tanker Seizure By Iran

Support SouthFront