British Embassy in Russia on Telegram channel declaration About the misinterpretation of events involving a Royal Air Force aircraft and a Russian Aerospace Force fighter. They noted that the flight of the British RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft on August 15 was predetermined and took place in international airspace, and did not violate the Russian borders.
“A Russian MiG-31 conducted a dangerous rendezvous maneuver with a Royal Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft engaged in routine operations in international airspace in the Norwegian and Barents Seas on 15 August.
“The crew of the British plane was in contact with the Russian air traffic controllers and acted safely and professionally,” he said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Monday that a British reconnaissance aircraft violated the state border of the Russian Federation over the waters of the Barents Sea. The MiG-31BM fighter flew to intercept, which forced the British Boeing to exit the state border of the Russian Federation.
“To stop the breach of the state border, a MiG-31BM fighter aircraft was raised from the on-duty air defense forces and designated it as the British Air Force’s electronic intelligence and electronic warfare aircraft RC-135. The air target breached the state border of Russia in the Cape Svyatoy Nos region, ”the Ministry of Defense said.
On 16 August, the Ministry of Defense announced that the UK has applied for an RC-135 flight on a route that had previously passed over Russian territory. The ministry described it as a deliberate provocation.
“The UK has applied for a flight plan for the flight of a British RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft on a route that also passes over the territory of the Russian Federation. We consider this action as a deliberate provocation of the Russian Air Force, the task was set to prevent violations of Russian airspace. All possible consequences of this deliberate provocation will be solely on the side of England, ”the military department said.
In response to the incident, the Russian Federation’s Charge d’Affaires in England, Alexander Gusarov, commented that a British plane had violated Russian airspace. He urged the British side not to create a hotbed of tension in the Arctic.
“We urge our British colleagues not to follow this very risky path and not to create an artificial hotbed of tension in the Arctic, which has been declared an area of peace and cooperation.” aforementioned He.
He added that the actions of the British military were a deliberate provocation and gross violation of international law. The RAF said it was pursuing the goal of “trying to open up our defense system and testing the limits of our patience”.
British destroyer in Crimea
Gusarov also compared this situation with the incident with the British destroyer Defender, which entered the territorial waters of Crimea in June 2021. Then the British destroyer crossed the Russian border near Cape Fiolent (Crimea). The Russian border ship fired after repeated warnings, and the Su-24M front-line bomber fired a “warning bomb” on the destroyer course.
The British side later stated that it would recognize Crimea as part of Ukraine, respectively, that the crossing of the destroyer took place in accordance with international law.
“We had the right to carry out such a peaceful passage through the territorial waters of Ukraine in accordance with international law. “We will continue to act in the same way,” said Dominic Raab, former British Foreign Secretary.
“They can totally get it”
Mikhail Shvytkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, said in a conversation with socialbites.ca that Great Britain “exceeds the permissible norms”. He noted that NATO member countries will carry out deliberate provocations on the ground of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
“I think such provocative acts should be stopped. Once again, the idea that impunity leads to new, more serious types of not only crimes, but also crimes. Because it crosses the state border of our country. And of course, in this case, the destruction of the enemy by fire or a “There must be actions until the plane lands in our airspace,” he said.
He noted that Russia strictly follows the norms of international law and that Western countries, including the NATO bloc, have largely violated them.
“Tomorrow, a nuclear-armed fighter plane may arrive. We must stop these actions in the bud. Yep, there was really no need to use a warning shot or (shot) to kill for the first time.
But in the future, after actions of a political and diplomatic nature, I think that Russia has the right to use all means to stop such violations,” he said.
In turn, Vladimir Dzhabarov, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council International Committee, warned the British side against violating the Russian borders. He also remembered the incident with the Defender destroyer.
“If it happens by coincidence, I think they will explain. If this is intentional, he will not return to his base next time. They are playing with fire,” the senator said.
He noted that such provocations were due to an attempt to test the reaction of the Russian side. “This is an attempt by the UK to get on our nerves. They can take it in full,” said Dzhabarov.
State Duma deputy Oleg Morozov described the flight of the British plane as a “teeth test”.
“With a different level of tension in the international situation, it could be called a border event. But today it clearly smells like a provocation and a test “on the tooth”. We made it clear: Our military teeth are as strong as endurance,” he said.
Senator Sergei Tsekov also noted that Russia’s borders are reliably guarded and that “we can counter any threat to us.”
Source: Gazeta
