A Swiss F18 grazes the president of the Duma. Diplomatic misunderstanding
(B2) The Russians had first incriminated a French plane which had made the mistake of "grazing" a little too closely the official plane transporting the president of the Duma, Sergei Narychkine, to Geneva. The French ambassador in Moscow, Jean-Maurice Ripert, was immediately summoned for an explanation. Moscow sees there a unique opportunity to be able to play the victim.
Las... A scathing denial quickly arrives from the Quai d'Orsay " No French Air Force aircraft were involved in the incident involving an official Russian aircraft reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry. We therefore deplore the fact that the French ambassador in Moscow was summoned for all business. » In fact, it was not a Mirage 2000 or a tricolor Rafale but a Swiss F/18, which intervened in contact with the Russian plane.
The explanation came from Bern. The Russians probably did not see the white cross yet characteristic of the Swiss air force and the double empennage, recognizable from the F/A-18, or pretended not to see it in this area where the border is held . Swiss planes having the possibility of flying over French zones. The Swiss defense considers that there is nothing abnormal. " It was a close check, we make eye contact with the pilot, we note the registration. We noted, everything was in order. It's a check, a routine check Swiss defense ministry spokesman Peter Minder told AFP.
