Russian airforce jet flies over Washington DC

Flight was reportedly part of mutual observation treaty

The U.S. Pentagon, seen here on June 15, 2005, was one of the sites a Russian jet was said to have flown over (Jason Reed/Reuters)

An unarmed Russian air force jet flew over multiple sensitive Washington, DC area locations on Wednesday, according to a report by CNN.

The reported flight was conducted in accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows participating members to conduct observational flights over other countries' military facilities. A source told CNN that American military personnel were on board.

The US Capitol, the Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency and the presidential retreat at Camp David were among the sites that the aircraft reportedly flew over - in addition to the Trump National Golf Club in Arlington, Virginia. Sources told CNN the aircraft was also scheduled to visit the New Jersey town of Bedminster, where Donald Trump is currently on vacation.

Between the Treaty on Open Skies taking effect in 2002 and 2016, the United States flew more than twice as many flights over Russia than vice versa, according to a US State Department fact sheet.

“The Treaty’s primary value is its role in building transparency and confidence, not intelligence gathering,” the fact sheet says,” allowing members to “avoid surprises in a cooperative way.”

While America already has some imaging capacity, the fact sheet adds, “there are significant parts of Russia best imaged by Treaty aircraft. The Treaty provides valuable information, especially for our Allies and partners that do not have the same imaging capabilities as the US.”

That aim of building ties stands in contrast to the fraying relationship between the United States and Russia, which has come under increasing strain over reports of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

A consensus from intelligence agencies that Russia intentionally sought to tamper with the election led Congress to impose sanctions on Russia. Mr Trump signed the legislation despite expressing reservations about the “unintended consequences it may have for American businesses, our friends, or our allies.”

Soon after Mr Trump signed the bill, Russia retaliated by announcing that it would be expelling more than 700 American diplomats from the country.