South Korea Summons Russian Envoy Over Military Aircraft Incursions

South Korea summoned a Russian military official on Thursday to protest repeated violations of its air defense identification zone (ADIZ) by Russian warplanes. The Defense Ministry reported that this was the eighth such incident since March 11, with Russian aircraft flying dangerously close to South Korean airspace.

According to the ministry, multiple Russian warplanes entered the ADIZ over the East Sea earlier in the day, coming within 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of South Korean airspace while ignoring communication attempts. In response, Seoul deployed its own fighter jets. The ministry also summoned Col. Nikolai Marchenko, a military attaché at the Russian Embassy, urging Moscow to prevent further incursions.

This latest incident follows a similar occurrence on Saturday when Russian jets crossed into the ADIZ during military training. The ADIZ is an area beyond a nation’s territorial airspace where aircraft must identify themselves for security purposes.