The UK Ministry of Defence has released video footage showing what it describes as a repeated and dangerous interception of an RAF reconnaissance aircraft by Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea.
The incident, which occurred last month in international airspace, involved an unarmed RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint surveillance plane conducting what the UK says was a routine mission in support of NATO’s eastern flank. According to the Ministry of Defence, two Russian jets, a Su-35 and a Su-27, shadowed the British aircraft at extremely close range.
At one point, the Su-35 approached close enough to trigger the Rivet Joint’s emergency systems and disable its autopilot, with the aircraft reportedly coming within about six meters of the RAF plane’s nose. The Su-27 is said to have made six passes in front of the British aircraft.
Defence Secretary John Healey labeled the Russian pilots’ behavior dangerous and unacceptable, warning that such maneuvers carry a serious risk of accident and unintended escalation. The UK maintains that its aircraft remained in international airspace throughout the episode.