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UK intercepts Russian Bear-F aircraft after it buzzed carrier strike group in Norwegian Sea
The Kyiv Independent • • general
Key Points:
- On June 2, a Russian Bear-F maritime patrol aircraft repeatedly approached the U.K.'s Carrier Strike Group at low altitude in the Norwegian Sea, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry.
- The incident occurred while the Royal Navy-led strike group was operating under NATO command in the High North, supporting North Atlantic alliance operations.
- The Russian Tu-142 Bear-F flew dangerously close to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and dropped numerous sonobuoys nearby, prompting criticism from the U.K. Defense Ministry as "unsafe and unprofessional."
- Two British F-35 fighter jets intercepted and escorted the Russian aircraft until it left the area.
- The U.K.'s Carrier Strike Group includes HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Duncan, F-35 jets, helicopters, and a replenishment tanker, and its deployment aims to bolster NATO security in the High North and North Atlantic.
