Russia released a video showing Su-27 fighter jets shadowing a group of British reconnaissance and combat aircraft over the Black Sea until they changed course.
The Russian Ministry of Defense today released a video taken from the cockpit of a Su-27 fighter jet, showing an encounter with a British aircraft formation consisting of an RC-135 electronic reconnaissance aircraft and two Typhoon multirole fighter jets over the Black Sea on October 19.
In the video, the Russian Su-27 maintains a safe distance and does not perform maneuvers near the British RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft. The rear view shows four trails of vapor, seemingly from three British aircraft and one Russian fighter jet.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that upon approaching Russian airspace, the British reconnaissance aircraft and its escort fighters changed course, and the Su-27 fighters returned to base.
A squadron of Russian Su-27s shadowed a British aircraft over the Black Sea on October 19. Video: Zvezda
"The foreign aircraft turned 180 degrees and moved away from the Russian border as the Su-27 squadron approached. All aircraft returned safely to base, with no border violations occurring. The Su-27 squadron strictly adhered to international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters, did not cross the flight path, and did not dangerously approach the foreign aircraft," the Russian Ministry of Defense stated.
British officials have not commented on the information.
Russia has repeatedly deployed fighter jets to intercept foreign aircraft in waters near its borders, including interceptions of British reconnaissance and fighter jets over the Black Sea in late June. A US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed in the Black Sea in March after being intercepted and having its fuel dumped by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet.
Location of the Black Sea. Graphic: Guardian
Leaked US documents from earlier this year revealed that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet nearly shot down a British RC-135 off the coast of Crimea on September 29, 2022. British defense officials later confirmed that the Russian aircraft had "fired a missile," but did not describe the incident as a "near miss," instead claiming the missile fired due to a "technical malfunction."
Vu Anh (According to Zvezda, Reuters )
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