South Korea, Japan Scramble Jets After China-Russia ADIZ Patrol

South Korean and Japanese forces scrambled fighter jets on Tuesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted a joint patrol that briefly entered both countries' air defense identification zones over the East China Sea and western Pacific Ocean.

The patrol involved nine aircraft in total, with seven Russian planes followed by two Chinese aircraft entering South Korea's air defense identification zone around 10 a.m. local time, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The planes, which included bombers and fighters, remained in the zone for about an hour off the country's eastern and southern coasts before exiting. Officials emphasized that the aircraft did not violate South Korean territorial airspace and were detected in advance, prompting the deployment of air force fighters as a precautionary measure. The zone, a designated area beyond national borders, requires foreign aircraft to identify themselves to prevent misunderstandings or clashes.

In a parallel development, Japan's Self-Defense Forces intercepted the same formation as it approached areas near the country's southern islands. Two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers flew from the Sea of Japan to link...