Russia alarms over US reconnaissance aircraft near Crimea
Illustrative photo: reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea (Getty Images)
US reconnaissance aircraft Boeing RC‑135U was spotted over the Black Sea near Sevastopol, triggering concern in Russian military and media circles, according to ItaMilRadar.
Russian propaganda outlets reported alleged activity of a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, the Boeing RC-135U Combat Sent, near the coast of occupied Crimea. According to their claims, the aircraft with the callsign JAKE37 was circling in international airspace over the Black Sea, conducting surveillance near Sevastopol and Sochi.
The aircraft reportedly took off from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, United Kingdom, about five hours earlier, then flew over the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary, entering the Black Sea region via Romania.
The RC-135U is one of the most specialized variants of the Rivet Joint family, designed for collecting and analyzing radar emissions to provide detailed electronic intelligence (ELINT) on enemy air defense systems and radar networks.
Previously, similar reconnaissance operations in the region were carried out mainly by RQ-4 Global Hawk drones. However, this time, the United States deployed a manned strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
Notably, US reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea are not unusual; such missions are regularly conducted to monitor Russian military activities in the region and ensure security oversight near Ukraine. Nevertheless, Russian media traditionally portray these flights as "threats" or "provocations" by NATO.
Earlier, on November 2, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken reported that unidentified drones spotted over the Kleine-Brogel air base were allegedly spying on fighter jets and munitions.
