Last month, two Russian military aircraft “repeatedly and dangerously” approached an unarmed RAF reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea.
Points of attention
- Russian military aircraft engaged in provocative and dangerous behavior by approaching a British RAF reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea.
- The incident led to an emergency shutdown of the autopilot on the British plane, highlighting the seriousness of the encounter.
Russian fighter jets were on their way to intercept a British plane over the Black Sea
This was reported by the British Ministry of Defense.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft was performing a scheduled international flight to ensure the security of NATO's eastern flank when a Russian Su-35 fighter jet approached Rivet Joint so closely that its emergency systems were activated, disabling the autopilot.
In addition, the Su-27 also flew in front of the British plane six times, approaching its nose at a distance of up to six meters.
British Defense Minister John Healy praised the professionalism of the RAF crew during the "unacceptable Russian overflights," which, according to the head of the British Ministry of Defense, are the most dangerous action by Russia since 2022, when a Russian pilot fired a missile at a Rivet Joint aircraft over the Black Sea.
Condemning the aerial approach, Healy stated:
This incident is yet another example of dangerous and unacceptable behavior by Russian pilots toward an unarmed aircraft flying in international airspace, actions that pose a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation.
John Healy
British Minister of Defense
He added:
This incident will not affect the UK's determination to defend NATO, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression.
The Ministry of Defense and the British Foreign Office have called on the Russian embassy to condemn the incident.
