Russia claims today that a British spy aircraft was forced to divert its course by one of their fighter jets as it neared annexed Crimea.
Moscow Defence Ministry reported that a British RC-135 reconnaissance plane tried to reach the Russian Federation’s state border in the southwestern Crimean Peninsula before being diverted by a Russian Su-30 fighter.
Major General Igor Konashenkov was a spokesperson for the ministry. He stated that the Su-30 approached the reconnaissance plane about 19 miles away from Russia’s state border. After which, the British plane diverted from the Russian border.
The footage released today purports that it shows the incident when the RAF Boeing airplane was intercepted above the Black Sea south coast of the Crimea peninsula. Russia annexed this area in 2014.
The move comes after Russia warned of a West that was ‘playing in fire’. It also vows to bomb warships that are too near the Crimea. This was after HMS Defender, a British destroyer was involved in an intense stand-off in June with Russian vessels at the Black Sea.
The US and other Western countries, as well as the US, insist that Crimea is Ukrainian territory. This assertion continues to cause geopolitical tension.
The British spy plane can be seen at the top of this image taken from the on-board camera of the Russian Su-30 fighter jet
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the RC-135 reconnaissance plane tried to reach the Russian Federation’s state border in the southwestern corner of Crimean Peninsula before being intercepted.
According to the Ministry, there has been an increase in military activities by the United States and NATO allies in Black Sea.
According to the ministry, these unscheduled drills were described as aggressive US actions that pose a threat regional security and strategic stability.
According to the ministry, in 24 hours four NATO reconnaissance airplanes were found and taken by Russian anti-aircraft ballistic forces.
Moscow claimed earlier this year that the Su-24 had dropped four bombs on HMS Defender. It also fired warning shots out of a patrol vessel after the British ship was told to turn around because it was too close to Crimean shores.
The Royal Navy insisted that the “freedom to navigate patrol” took place through international waters and that Russia was trying to claim illegally ocean beyond 12 miles of its territorial waters.
This was the first instance since the Cold War when Moscow admitted using live ammunition against a NATO warship. It was a sign of the increasing risk of military incidents in the midst high tensions between Russia, the West and Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Defence released this map showing the area south-west of Crimea border, where the RC-135 reconnaissance plane was intercepted
