The UK scrambled 2 fighters on ‘quick reaction alert’ to intercept Russian bombers near British airspace

Britain’s Royal Air Force scrambled two fighter jets to intercept Russian strategic bombers near UK airspace on Monday, in another illustration of ongoing tensions.

The RAF confirmed that it sent Typhoon aircraft from the Lossiemouth base in Scotland on a “quick reaction alert” as two Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached Britain.

“The Russian aircraft were initially monitored by a variety of friendly nation fighters and subsequently intercepted by the RAF in the North Sea,” the air force said. “At no point did the Russian aircraft enter sovereign UK airspace.”

 

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