Two Russian Fighters Scrambled to Escort UK Spy Plane Over Barents Sea, Defence Ministry Says

Sputnik News

16:02 GMT 21.09.2020

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Two Russian fighters MiG-31 were scrambled to escort a UK spy plane over the Barents Sea, the national defence control centre said Monday.

The reconnaissance plane, which was nearing the Russian border, was identified as R-1 Sentinel. After the UK plane turned away, Russian planes returned to the base.

Last Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that it scrambled a Su-27 fighter jet to escort a US patrol aircraft over the Black Sea.

NATO aircraft have intensified reconnaissance activities near the Russian border over the past month. Moscow has warned that such regular flights by US and NATO aircraft near Russia's border poses the risk of accidental escalation.

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