BLACK SEA — A Russian Su-27 fighter jet flew within six metres of an unarmed Royal Air Force Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft travelling at 500mph over the Black Sea in mid-April, conducting six passes close to its nose. In a separate encounter days later, a Russian Su-35 flew close enough to the British spy plane to trigger its emergency systems and disable the autopilot.

The Rivet Joint carries a crew of up to 30 and is capable of a wide range of electronic surveillance at ranges of about 150 miles. The Ministry of Defence said the incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a British Rivet Joint aircraft since a Russian plane fired a missile over the Black Sea in 2022, an event Moscow later attributed to a technical malfunction. Defence and foreign ministry officials formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident.

"This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace," Defence Secretary John Healey said. "These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation."

"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," he said.

In November 2024, British jets monitored a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying close to U.K. airspace, days after Russian aircraft were spotted over the Baltic Sea and off the coast of Norway. In November 2025, Healey said a Russian spy ship pointed lasers at Royal Air Force pilots tracking its activity near U.K. waters.