Russian Fighter Jets Escort NATO Warplanes over Black Sea — Defense Ministry

"The planes were stopped from violating the Russian border," the statement said

MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. Russia’s Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets escorted a group of French and US warplanes over the Black Sea, the National Defense Management Center (part of the Russian Defense Ministry) said in a statement on Thursday.

"On December 9, 2021, Russian airspace control systems detected aerial targets flying towards the Russian border over international waters in the Black Sea," the statement reads.

According to the center, Russian aircraft crews identified the aerial targets as a Mirage 2000 jet fighter and a Rafale fighter from the French Air and Space Force, the US Army’s CL-600 Artemis reconnaissance aircraft, an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft from the US Air Force and a French KC-135 refueling aircraft, and escorted them over the Black Sea.

"The planes were stopped from violating the Russian border," the statement said. "After turning the foreign warplanes away from Russia’s border, the Russian fighter jets safely returned to their home airfield," the center added.

Three Su-27 fighters from the Southern Military District’s air defense quick reaction alert forces were scrambled to escort the foreign aircraft.

Developments in Donbass look like genocide — Putin

NOVO-OGARYOVO, December 9. /TASS/. Developments in Donbass look like genocide, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights on Thursday.

"You and I know what is happening in Donbass. It certainly looks like genocide, as you said," he pointed out, addressing Executive Director of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency Kirill Vyshinsky.

Putin emphasized that Russophobia was the first step to genocide. The head of state noted that "it requires careful action so that these notions aren’t devalued." However, in his words, the notions should reflect the reality of what is happening at the moment.