US says Russian jet flew within 5 feet of US Navy plane

WASHINGTON – The United States is accusing Moscow of unsafe military practices after it says a Russian jet flew within five feet of a U.S. Navy plane over the Black Sea.

The State Department says the incident occurred Monday when a Russian Su-27 jet crossed directly in front of the flight path of the American jet in international airspace. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says the United States views it with “the highest level of concern.”

Nauert says Russia’s military “flagrantly” violated international law and risked a midair collision. She calls it “the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements.”

The United States has raised concerns several times over the last year about midair encounters between U.S. and Russian planes, including above the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.