Before Obama Visited Canada, Russian Bomber Did

On the day before President Obama’s recent visit to Canada, that nation’s warplanes turned back a Russian bomber, the National Post reports. The plane did not enter Canadian airspace, but the incident still alarmed officials, who have striven to enforce sovereignty. “When we see a Russian bear approaching Canadian air space, we meet them with an F-18,” said Defense Minister Peter MacKay.

A day after the Feb. 18 incident, Ottawa’s airspace was closed off to all traffic save Air Force One. The Russian jet was spotted by the US and Canada’s joint air-defense command, and fighter jets scrambled to intercept. A Russian official said the flight was planned; rejoined MacKay, “It was a strong coincidence, which we met.” (More Canada stories.)