U.K. spy plane "dangerously intercepted" by Russian military jets over Black Sea, defense ministry says

Key Points:

• Two Russian jets, a Su-35 and a Su-27, dangerously intercepted a British RAF surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month, with one jet flying as close as six meters to the British plane's nose, according to the UK defense ministry.
• The incident, described as the most serious involving a UK Rivet Joint aircraft since 2022, caused emergency systems on the British plane to activate and involved multiple close passes by the Russian jets.
• Defense Minister John Healey condemned the actions as dangerous and unacceptable, emphasizing that they pose serious risks of accidents and escalation, but affirmed the UK's commitment to defending NATO and its interests against Russian aggression.
• The interception occurred amid heightened tensions between the UK and Russia, including recent UK monitoring of Russian submarine activity near critical undersea cables and pipelines in the Atlantic, which Healey warned could have serious consequences if damaged.
• The UK government has formally protested the incident to the Russian embassy, reflecting ongoing military confrontations and intelligence disputes between the two countries since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.