EAST SEA — Warplanes from four different countries were involved in an unprecedented confrontation over the East Sea.<br /><br />According to South Korean officials, two Chinese H-6 and two Russian TU-95 bombers conducted a joint Russian-Chinese military exercise on Tuesday morning.<br /><br />CNN reports that the four planes entered South Korea's Air Defence Identification Zone or KADIZ at about 8:40 a.m., and remained for 24 minutes.<br /><br />Seoul claims a Russian A-50 plane then flew beyond the KADIZ and entered airspace over the contested islands claimed by both South Korea and Japan.<br /><br />The plane flew over the islands, known to the Koreans as Dokdo and the Japanese as Takeshima, at 9:09 and then again at 9:33 a.m.<br /><br />In response, South Korea deployed F-15F and KF-16 fighter jets, which fired 10 flares and 80 warning shots the first time then 10 flares and 280 more rounds during the second.<br /><br />Russia's Defense Ministry initially denied the reports and accused the Korean pilots of unprofessional maneuvers, but later confirmed that their jets had taken part in a joint patrol with China.<br /><br />The BBC reports that Japan later confirmed that its military also sent fighter jets in response to the "Russian incursion."<br /><br />It has since lodged a strong protest against both the Russian and South Korean over what it regards as a violation of its airspace.<br /><br />CNN reports that South Korea has since dismissed Japan's protest, but have themselves sent a strong message of complaint to the Russians over the incident. Moscow has yet to respond to either country.
