Russia to conduct observation flight over Belgium, Netherlands next week

Russia will conduct an observation flight over the territory of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux) under the Treaty on Open Skies on March 11-15, the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, Ruslan Shishin, said on Monday.

"As part of the implementation of the international Treaty on Open Skies, Russia plans to perform an observation flight on the Russian An-30B surveillance aircraft over the territory of the Benelux," Shishin said, adding that the flight would occur on March 11-15.

Shishin also said that a joint US-Norwegian mission will conduct a surveillance flight over the territory of Russia under the treaty on March 11-16.

"On March 11-16, in the framework of the implementation of the international Treaty on Open Skies, a joint mission of the United States and Norway will perform an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation on the US observation aircraft OC-135B from the Khabarovsk Novy Airport," he said.

Last month, US observation aircraft Boeing OC-135B carried out an observation flight over Russian territory from the Khabarovsk's Noviy ('New') airfield in compliance with the Treaty on Open Skies.

(SPUTNIK)