Russian Su-35 and Su-27 jets dangerously intercept RAF Rivet Joint over Black Sea

Two Russian fighter jets repeatedly and dangerously intercepted an unarmed RAF Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea in mid-April, the UK Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday, in what it described as the most dangerous Russian action against a UK Rivet Joint since 2022.

A Russian Su-35 flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane and disable its autopilot. In a separate intercept, a Russian Su-27 conducted six passes in front of the Rivet Joint, on one occasion coming within six metres of the aircraft's nose. The Rivet Joint was unarmed and conducting routine surveillance in international airspace as part of NATO's eastern flank security mission, the MoD said.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: "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." He added: "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." Healey also paid tribute to the "outstanding professionalism and bravery of the RAF crew who continued with their mission despite these dangerous actions."

The MoD and Foreign Office officials formally complained to the Russian embassy about the incident this week. The incident is the most dangerous Russian action against a UK Rivet Joint since 2022, when a Russian aircraft fired a missile near a Rivet Joint over the Black Sea, which Moscow called a technical malfunction.

The intercepts occurred days after Healey publicly revealed that the Royal Navy had tracked three Russian submarines near undersea cables in the North Atlantic. The UK monitoring mission involved about 500 personnel, with UK aircraft flying more than 450 hours and a navy frigate covering several thousand nautical miles.