World Bulletin / News Desk

Russia will soon formally request permission from the US to fly its hi tech surveillance planes equipped with highly advanced cameras over the country, a move that has rung alarm bells with American intelligence and military officials according to a report in AP.

Both the US and Russia are signatories to the 34-member Open Skies Treaty, which permits member countries to fly unarmed surveillance planes equipped with high resolution digital cameras over one another’s territory and foster transparency about military activities.

Moscow submitted its request to the Vienna-based Open Skies Consultative Commission on Monday, formally asking for permission for their planes to be allowed to fly an aircraft with advanced sensors over the US.

This means the US government must decide on granting Russians the permission, or denying them as according to the latest State Department compliance report, Moscow has failed to meet all its obligations under the treaty.

President Barack Obama’s decision is particularly important as Russia and the US are at odds over the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine.

According to a report in the New York times, giving Russia permission to switch to the new electro-optical sensors for these more intrusive flights would provide Moscow a faster, more reliable means of conducting surveillance (and an easier way of concealing their objectives) than the clunky wet-film processing that most nations, including the United States, are transitioning away from, critics said.