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Russian Jets Harass UK Spy Plane Over Black Sea, Coming Within Six Meters
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A Russian fighter jet came within just six meters of the nose of a British military surveillance aircraft during a dangerous intercept over the Black Sea, the UK Ministry of Defence said on May 20.
The incident involved an unarmed RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft conducting a routine mission in international airspace.
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According to the ministry, two Russian fighter jets repeatedly intercepted the aircraft in what officials described as the most dangerous Russian action against a UK Rivet Joint since 2022.
In one encounter, a Russian Su-35 flew close enough to trigger the Rivet Joint’s emergency systems, including disabling the aircraft’s autopilot. In a separate intercept, a Russian Su-27 made six passes in front of the British aircraft, at one point closing to within six meters of its nose.
Despite the repeated intercepts, the RAF crew completed its planned mission.
A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 20, 2026
Despite these reckless manoeuvres, RAF crew completed their… pic.twitter.com/QyUP7dE4OJ
The UK later summoned representatives of the Russian Embassy through the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to condemn the incident.
“This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace. These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
“I would like to pay tribute to the outstanding professionalism and bravery of the RAF crew who continued with their mission despite these dangerous actions. Let me be very clear: this incident will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend NATO, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression.”
The intercept took place days after Healey publicly accused Russia of conducting suspicious submarine activity near critical undersea infrastructure in the North Atlantic, where British forces had been deployed alongside allies.
The RAF Rivet Joint is a signals intelligence and electronic surveillance aircraft operated by 51 Squadron from RAF Waddington. It is designed to monitor electronic emissions and provide intelligence to UK and NATO commanders.
The 2022 incident referenced by the ministry involved a Russian aircraft firing a missile near an RAF Rivet Joint over the Black Sea, prompting a formal diplomatic protest from London.
Earlier, a Royal Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft carried out an intelligence-gathering mission near Russia’s heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave.
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