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- Japan scrambles flare-shooting jets to warn Russian spy plane (newsbreak.com)
Japanese warplanes deployed flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft after it entered Japanese airspace three times for up to a minute each. The violation occurred near Rebun Island, off the coast of Hokkaido.
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Japan protested to Russia and demanded measures to prevent future incidents. The use of flares was a legitimate response, and Japan will use them without hesitation.
The airspace breach followed a joint exercise by Russian and Chinese warships near Japan’s northern coasts. Japan’s defense officials are concerned about the growing military cooperation between China and Russia and China’s assertive activity in Japanese waters and airspace.
Japan has recently scrambled jets against Chinese military aircraft and scrambled jets nearly 669 times since April 2023. The country and Russia have a territorial dispute over islands seized by the Soviet Union after World War II.
Russian and Chinese military activity has also increased near Alaska, prompting the US to deploy soldiers and mobile rocket launchers to the Aleutian Islands. In July, Russian and Chinese bombers entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone and were intercepted by US and Canadian fighter jets.
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- Japan scrambles flare-shooting jets to warn Russian spy plane (newsbreak.com)