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UK condemns Russian Su-27/Su-35 “dangerous and unacceptable” intercepts of RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint over Black Sea

Britain’s Ministry of Defence accused Russia of recklessness after two RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint intercept incidents in international airspace over the Black Sea. UK officials said Russian Su-27 and Su-35 fighters flew perilously close—including a reported near pass at about six metres—raising risks of NATO-Russia escalation.

Discovered 2026-05-20T09:27:17.006263-07:00 | 2026-05-20T09:27:17.006263-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • These incidents are part of a continuing pattern of close-range Russian reconnaissance and NATO monitoring over European airspace, amplifying escalation risk during active operations (see NATO scrambles fighters in Baltic Sea intercept involving Swedish Gripen).
  • The reported distances and “dangerous and unacceptable” framing underscore how increasingly aggressive air intercept behavior can rapidly degrade safety margins for intelligence-collection sorties and complicate rules-of-the-road decisions.
  • For defence aviation planning and engagement policy, the cluster reinforces how surveillance aircraft can become focal points in contested airspace—similar to prior monitoring/intercept episodes such as Norwegian F-35s intercept Russian spy aircraft near Evenes.

Reported By

Aero-News militaryleak.com news.ssbcrack.com Simple Flying defence-industry.eu aerotelegraph.com
Sources Tracked
24
First Seen
2026-05-20T09:27:17.006263-07:00
Latest Update
2026-05-25T21:15:38.466987-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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