British planes were dispatched to monitor a Russian reconnaissance plane flying near British airspace, the defense minister said in London on Friday, just days later. NATO planes have been mobilized when Russian planes were spotted over the Baltic Sea and off the Norwegian coast.
Two Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland tracked the Russian Bear-F plane on Thursday as it flew over the North Sea, the ministry said.
“At no time was he able to enter the sovereign airspace of the United Kingdom,” the statement added.
The Bear-F, also known as the Tupolev Tu-142, is a maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
The Typhoons were supported by a Voyager refueling plane.
“Our adversaries should be in no doubt about our unwavering resolve and formidable ability to protect the United Kingdom,” Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said.
“The Royal Navy and RAF (Royal Air Force) have once again shown that they are ready to defend our country at all times and I pay tribute to the professionalism and courage of those who took part in these latest operations,” he added.
The Royal Navy also tracked Russian military ships crossing the English Channel this week, the Ministry of Defense said.
He added that it was the second time in three months that Russian ships and aircraft had been detected within a week of each other.
WPA swimming pool, Getty Images
Incidents involving Russian and Western planes have increased in recent months against a backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Italy and Norway blurred jets after Russian planes were spotted over the Baltic Sea and along the Norwegian coast.
The Italian Air Force intercepted a Russian Coot-A aircraft over the Baltic Sea, NATO’s Allied Air Command announced in a social media post. Norwegian Air Force F-35s have identified several Russian planes flying in international airspace off the country’s coast, NATO said.
In September, Japan declared warplanes used flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance plane to leave northern Japanese airspace.
In Julythe United States intercepted Russian and Chinese planes in international airspace off the coast of Alaska. In February 2024, the United States detected four Russian warplanes flying in the same area. Other Russian planes have been spotted Can And FEBRUARY 2023.
