Colombia to protest against Russia for airspace violation

The Colombian government would send a note of protest to Moscow after two Russian military planes twice flew over the Andean nation's airspace without permission last week, President Juan Manuel Santos said Tuesday. "On Friday, two Russian bombers flew from Venezuela to Nicaragua; they flew over the Colombian airspace. Such military and state aircraft should have asked permission. They did not," Santos told reporters after a government meeting. The bombers re-entered Colombian airspace on their return journey but flew out of the zone when intercepted by two of Colombia's Kfir military planes, he said. Nicaragua took Colombia to court in 2001 over a maritime dispute, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled last year that Colombia transfer to Nicaragua the control over some 75,000 square km of Caribbean waters. Colombia has accused the ruling of being riddled with mistakes and inconsistencies, saying it would no longer recognize the ICJ's jurisdiction. Tensions between Colombia and Nicaragua have risen after the ruling, with Managua announcing plans to buy Russian military equipment.