Britain announced that it had intercepted a Russian aircraft over the Black Sea
The British Ministry of Defense stated that last month, Russian fighter jets intercepted a Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea on several occasions. The ministry noted that the incidents occurred while the aircraft was conducting reconnaissance missions in the region.
The BBC reported this, citing officials from the Ministry of Defense.
It has been reported that Russian fighter jets repeatedly intercepted a British reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea, carrying out a series of “dangerous” close approaches.
In one instance, a Russian Su-35 flew so close to the RAF Rivet Joint aircraft that it triggered its emergency systems.
During another interception, a Su-27 made six passes in front of the British aircraft, flying as close as 20 feet (about 6 meters) from its nose.
According to officials, both incidents occurred in mid-April at speeds of about 500 mph.
A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems.
Despite these reckless manoeuvres, RAF crew completed their… pic.twitter.com/QyUP7dE4OJ— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) May 20, 2026
The British Ministry of Defence stated that the Rivet Joint aircraft was conducting routine flights to ensure the security of NATO’s eastern flank
"This incident is yet another example of dangerous and unacceptable behavior by Russian pilots toward an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace. These actions pose a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation," said British Defense Minister John Gilley.
The ministry added that these incidents will not prevent Britain from fulfilling its obligations to its NATO allies.
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