Russian Su-27 jet intercepts Swedish reconnaissance plane over Baltic Sea

MOSCOW, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet has intercepted a Swedish Gulfstream reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea.

"An aerial target approaching Russia's state border was spotted by Russian airspace controls. An Su-27 fighter jet from the Air Force was employed to intercept the target," the defense ministry said in a statement.

The Swedish reconnaissance aircraft was flying with its transponder off, said the statement, adding that the Swedish aircraft flew away from the Russian state border after the Su-27 fighter jet approached it.