9 Chinese and Russian Military Aircraft Entered and Then Withdrew from KADIZ Northeast of Dokdo (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Military authorities announced on the 19th that a total of nine Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered and then withdrew from the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) northeast of Dokdo on the 19th.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at around 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the same day, two Chinese military aircraft and seven Russian military aircraft sequentially entered and exited the KADIZ northeast of Dokdo in the East Sea. The military aircraft that entered the KADIZ were identified as four Chinese Hong (轟·H) series bombers, and Russian Tupolev (Tu) series bombers and an early warning control aircraft A-50.

The military stated that prior to the entry of the Chinese and Russian military aircraft into the KADIZ, F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets and KC-330 multipurpose aerial refueling aircraft were deployed to take normal tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This was the first time that the KC-330 was deployed during the entry of Chinese and Russian military aircraft into the KADIZ.

The Chinese and Russian military aircraft hovered in the KADIZ for about 10 minutes each and did not violate South Korean airspace. The military authorities are evaluating this situation as a routine joint exercise by China and Russia and are conducting additional analysis. The Chinese side notified that it was a training exercise through a hotline with South Korea after entering the KADIZ, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On the other hand, Russia, which has not yet established a hotline between air forces, did not notify the situation.

On December 22 last year, four Chinese military aircraft and fifteen Russian military aircraft also entered and exited the KADIZ. At that time, two of the Chinese military aircraft passed east of Ulleungdo and exited the KADIZ, and two of the Russian military aircraft exited the KADIZ east of Dokdo but re-entered and then exited northeast of Dokdo. China had notified in advance through the Korea-China hotline that it was a routine exercise, but Russia, which does not have a direct phone line for exchanging flight information, did not notify South Korea in advance.

On the 11th, South Korea and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the establishment and operation of a direct communication line (hotline) between their naval and air forces. This hotline is scheduled to be established within this year between the Naval Operations Command and Russia's Pacific Fleet Command, and between the Air Force 1st Central Air Defense Control Center and Russia's Eastern Military District 11th Air and Air Defense Forces. South Korea and Chinese military authorities have a total of five hotlines, including a direct phone line between the Ministries of National Defense, and direct communication lines between the naval and air forces of South Korea and the Eastern and Northern Theater Commands of China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.