The UK has condemned two incidents in mid-April where Russian jets flew dangerously close to an unarmed RAF Rivet Joint spy plane over the Black Sea. Defence Secretary John Healey described the actions as 'dangerous and unacceptable'.
In the first incident, a Russian Su-27 jet came within six metres of the RAF plane, which was travelling at 500mph. The Su-27 conducted six passes in front of the Rivet Joint, risking a collision. In a second incident, a Russian Su-35 flew so close that it triggered the British plane's emergency systems, disabling the autopilot.
The Rivet Joint, capable of electronic surveillance up to 150 miles, was on a Nato patrol mission over international airspace. Healey praised the crew's professionalism and bravery, stating the incident would not deter UK support for Nato.
The Ministry of Defence noted this is the most dangerous Russian action against a British Rivet Joint since 2022, when a Russian missile was fired over the Black Sea. The incidents come amid heightened Russian military activity in Europe, including recent drone violations in Lithuania and naval movements in the North Sea.
