Russian military aircraft violated South Korea's air defense zone

South Korea scrambled fighter jets after Russian military aircraft briefly entered its Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) on Wednesday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The aircraft did not violate South Korean airspace, but their entry into the KADIZ triggered an immediate response.

The Ministry of National Defense in Seoul stated that South Korean air force jets were deployed as a precautionary measure. This incident is reminiscent of a similar event in June, when Chinese and Russian aircraft entered the KADIZ without breaching national airspace, as confirmed by Seoul at the time.

Russian aircraft were detected entering and exiting the KADIZ over the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. The KADIZ is a broader area than national airspace, and while foreign aircraft are expected to identify themselves, there is no legal obligation to do so. Typically, military aircraft provide prior notification before entering such zones, though this is not a binding requirement.

Following the June incident, Beijing stated that the joint patrol was a routine strategic operation, not directed against any third country. Moscow echoed this sentiment, emphasizing it was part of normal military cooperation. Despite these explanations, South Korea's diplomacy lodged a protest with both Russia and China, urging them to prevent future occurrences.

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The South Korean armed forces detected Russian (military) aircraft after they entered the zone and deployed fighter jets of the air force as a precaution.