Russian bombers intercepted on eve of Obama visit
The Canadian Press
February 27, 2009
OTTAWA — Two Russian military bombers came close to breaching northern Canadian airspace on the eve of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit here last week, Defence Minister Peter MacKay revealed Friday.
Canadian CF-18 fighters were scrambled from Cold Lake, Alta., to intercept the long-range Tupelov TU-95s and signal them to back off, he said.
The incident occurred Feb. 18, about 24 hours before Mr. Obama journeyed to Canada for his first foreign visit.
Mr. MacKay noted that the Russian flight took place when Canada's security focus was on Ottawa, in preparation for the Obama visit.
“I am not going to stand here and accuse the Russians of having deliberately done this during the presidential visit, but it was a strong coincidence,” Mr. MacKay said.
Canadian jets intercepted the Russian aircraft – commonly referred to as “Bears” – about 190 kilometres northeast of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. They had entered a portion of international airspace under Canada's monitoring and control.
He said fighter pilots sent their Russian counterparts “a strong signal that they should back off and stay out of our airspace.”
The Defence Minister said the Bear flights reflect an increasing number of exercises by Russian military planes near northern Canadian and U.S. airspace in recent years.
It's a resumption of the probing Cold War-era training flights by Russian aircraft that were suspended when the Soviet Union fell. But in 2007, flush with money from high oil prices, the Russians resumed regular air exercises in the name of protecting their Arctic sovereignty.
“[This] apparently includes coming close to, and up to, Canadian airspace,” Mr. MacKay said.
U.S. NORAD commander General Victor “Gene” Renuart said Canadian and U.S. jets have intercepted more than 20 Russian patrols in recent years.
“I think we've seen, since that time in 2007 ... something over 20 events where the Russians have flown their long-range aviation aircraft close to, or around U.S. or Canadian airspace,” he said in an interview.
Mr. MacKay said the Russians have turned a deaf ear to his request for advance notice of such near-incursions.
“It's not a game at all ... I have personally asked both the Russian ambassador and my counterpart [in Russia] that we are given a heads-up when this type of air traffic is to occur –and to date we have not received that kind of notice.”
Gen. Renuart, the NORAD commander, said however that Russia has not broken international rules or entered the internal airspace zones of Canada or the United States.
“The Russians have conducted themselves professionally; they have maintained compliance with the international rules of airspace sovereignty and have not entered the internal airspace of either of the countries.”
The Russian incursion was disclosed Friday during a joint news conference between Mr. MacKay, Gen. Renuart and Walt Natynczyk, the chief of Canada's defence staff.
The Canadian Press
February 27, 2009
OTTAWA — Two Russian military bombers came close to breaching northern Canadian airspace on the eve of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit here last week, Defence Minister Peter MacKay revealed Friday.
Canadian CF-18 fighters were scrambled from Cold Lake, Alta., to intercept the long-range Tupelov TU-95s and signal them to back off, he said.
The incident occurred Feb. 18, about 24 hours before Mr. Obama journeyed to Canada for his first foreign visit.
Mr. MacKay noted that the Russian flight took place when Canada's security focus was on Ottawa, in preparation for the Obama visit.
“I am not going to stand here and accuse the Russians of having deliberately done this during the presidential visit, but it was a strong coincidence,” Mr. MacKay said.
Canadian jets intercepted the Russian aircraft – commonly referred to as “Bears” – about 190 kilometres northeast of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. They had entered a portion of international airspace under Canada's monitoring and control.
He said fighter pilots sent their Russian counterparts “a strong signal that they should back off and stay out of our airspace.”
The Defence Minister said the Bear flights reflect an increasing number of exercises by Russian military planes near northern Canadian and U.S. airspace in recent years.
It's a resumption of the probing Cold War-era training flights by Russian aircraft that were suspended when the Soviet Union fell. But in 2007, flush with money from high oil prices, the Russians resumed regular air exercises in the name of protecting their Arctic sovereignty.
“[This] apparently includes coming close to, and up to, Canadian airspace,” Mr. MacKay said.
U.S. NORAD commander General Victor “Gene” Renuart said Canadian and U.S. jets have intercepted more than 20 Russian patrols in recent years.
“I think we've seen, since that time in 2007 ... something over 20 events where the Russians have flown their long-range aviation aircraft close to, or around U.S. or Canadian airspace,” he said in an interview.
Mr. MacKay said the Russians have turned a deaf ear to his request for advance notice of such near-incursions.
“It's not a game at all ... I have personally asked both the Russian ambassador and my counterpart [in Russia] that we are given a heads-up when this type of air traffic is to occur –and to date we have not received that kind of notice.”
Gen. Renuart, the NORAD commander, said however that Russia has not broken international rules or entered the internal airspace zones of Canada or the United States.
“The Russians have conducted themselves professionally; they have maintained compliance with the international rules of airspace sovereignty and have not entered the internal airspace of either of the countries.”
The Russian incursion was disclosed Friday during a joint news conference between Mr. MacKay, Gen. Renuart and Walt Natynczyk, the chief of Canada's defence staff.
