Russian Aircraft Violated Japan’s Airspace; Possibly to Collect Radioactive Air Sample

From the Asahi Shimbun, March 30, 2011
   
Two Russian aircraft entered Japan’s air defense identification zones with air dust collection pods as found by the Japanese air force; most probably the Russian aircraft was missioned to collect radioactive matters in the air as released from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident to find the effect to their own country.

Defense Ministry official told that a Su-27 flew from Vladivostok to the coast off Akita, Japan entering Japan’s Air Defence Identification Zone from 8:30am to 10:30am (local time) on March 21. On the same day, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am, another aircraft, An12 for electronic warfare, flew from off coast of Noto Peninsular to the western coast of Hokkaido, another intrusion to ADIZ.

The both aircraft were intercepted by fighter aircraft of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force that visually observed the Russian aircraft were fitted with dust collection pods respectively. The Su-27 was found to be flying at different altitudes of 2,000 ft to 20,000 ft., a typical flight profile to identify the thickest air with radioactive substances.
　
Japan’s Defense Ministry has analyzed their flight patterns were provocative as 1) the Russian aircraft purposely intruded Japan”s ADIZs knowing to trigger scrambling of Japanese air force 2) the Russians apparently tried to check the current alertness by Japan for air space intrusion while a large-scale deployment of its military power is ongoing to rescue missions to March 11 earthquake and tsunami disasters.