Russia carries out observation flight over Denmark

Russian inspectors started on Monday observation flights over Danish territory under the Open Skies Treaty, said a senior Russian defense official.

"The observation flight will be carried out between Sept. 12 and Sept. 17, from the Aalborg Open Skies airfield (in Denmark) using Kangerlussuaq airport (in Greenland) to refuel, with a maximum range of 5,600 kilometers," Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted Sergei Ryzhkov, head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, as saying on Monday.

The Russian flights are using the TU-154m/lk-1 aircraft, with Danish experts on board, to monitor the compliance with the treaty, he added.

The observation flights are part of the confidence-building measures in Europe after the Cold War under the international Open Skies Treaty, which was signed in March 1992 and took effect beginning 2002. The treaty has currently 34 state parties, including Russia and most NATO members.

(APD)