Russian fighter aircraft repeatedly flew within metres of a British reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea in what ministers described as one of the most dangerous aerial confrontations involving the RAF since the start of the war in Ukraine.
At one point during the incident, a Russian fighter flew so close to the British aircraft that it triggered emergency systems and temporarily disengaged the plane’s autopilot, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The UK Government has now formally protested to Moscow over the encounter, which took place last month during a routine RAF surveillance mission in international airspace.
The aircraft targeted by the Russian jets was an RAF Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane operating as part of NATO’s efforts to monitor activity along the alliance’s eastern flank.
According to the MoD, Russian Sukhoi Su-35 and Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft repeatedly intercepted the British plane in an “unsafe and unprofessional” manner.
One Su-27 fighter reportedly made six passes directly in front of the RAF aircraft, coming within just six metres of its nose.
The MoD released video footage and images showing the Russian fighters repeatedly manoeuvring dangerously close to the British aircraft during the encounter.
An MoD spokesman said: “Despite the dangerous Russian actions, the RAF crew remained calm and professional throughout and completed their planned flight.”
“This week, representatives from the UK Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office démarched the Russian Embassy to condemn the pilots’ dangerous and unacceptable behaviour.”
A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems.
Despite these reckless manoeuvres, RAF crew completed their… pic.twitter.com/QyUP7dE4OJ
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 20, 2026
John Healey condemned the intercepts as reckless and warned they risked triggering a serious escalation.
“This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace,” he said.
“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.”
The RAF said the Rivet Joint aircraft involved was unarmed and carrying out a routine intelligence-gathering mission over the Black Sea.
The surveillance aircraft uses advanced electronic sensors to collect signals intelligence and monitor military activity, providing Nato with situational awareness across Eastern Europe and the wider region.
According to the MoD, this was the most serious Russian confrontation involving a British Rivet Joint aircRAFt since 2022, when a Russian fighter fired a missile near an RAF surveillance plane over the Black Sea in an incident widely feared to have brought Moscow and the West close to direct conflict.
The latest confrontation comes amid rising tensions between Russia and Nato as military activity intensifies across Eastern Europe, the Baltic region and the High North.
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