An unarmed UK Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft conducted routine monitoring in international airspace over the Black Sea to help secure NATO’s eastern flank. In April, two Russian jets repeatedly and dangerously intercepted the aircraft. The Su-35 flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane. A Su-27 conducted six passes, flying about six metres from the aircraft’s nose. UK defence and foreign ministry officials formally complained to the Russian embassy about the incident. The event was described as the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022, when a Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, later described by Moscow as a technical malfunction. The intercepts followed UK tracking of Russian submarines near undersea cables and pipelines.
"Two Russian jets have repeatedly and dangerously intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft in April over the Black Sea, according to the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, securing NATO's eastern flank, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday."
"It was repeatedly intercepted by a Russian Su-35 aircraft, which flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane, it said. A Russian Su-27 conducted six passes, flying six metres (less than 20 feet) from the Rivet Joint's nose."
"This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace, Defence Minister John Healey said in the statement. These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation, he added."
"Defence and foreign ministry officials this week formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident, Wednesday's statement added. It said the incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022, when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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