British Typhoon jets intercept Russian Blackjack bombers

The UK has scrambled jet fighters to intercept two Russian bombers that were approaching its borders, the British defense ministry says.

The encounter took place on Thursday, when two RAF Typhoon aircraft took off from Scotland to escort the Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers that were flying near a UK “area of interest.”

“Quick reaction alert Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth intercepted two Russian Blackjack bombers and escorted them while they were in the UK area of interest,” an spokeswoman for the ministry said.

“At no point did the Russian aircraft enter UK territorial airspace,” she noted.

According to the statement, the British air force also launched two other aircraft from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire as “precautionary measure.”

The incident marks the latest in a series of close encounters between British and Russian air forces over the past years.

According to data by the Mirror, between 2010 and 2015, British Quick Response Aircraft have been scrambled at least 50 times to intercept Russian warplanes.

A previous encounter occurred in mid-February, when RAF Typhoons were dispatched from RAF Coningsby to keep two Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers off the coast of Cornwall.

Then-Prime Minister David Cameron reacted to the incident by saying that London should not “dignify” the point that Moscow was making with such flights.

NATO members regularly accuse Russia of flying close to their borders. The accusations surged after the US-led alliance cut its ties with Moscow in 2014.

ME