Britain sent Typhoon fighter jets to escort two Russian long-range Bear bombers that were flying close to UK air space, the second such incident in the last months. The incident is likely to further worsen the relations between Britain and Russia.
“RAF quick reaction alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched yesterday after Russian aircraft were identified flying close to UK air space. The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest. At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK sovereign air space,” according to the official statement.
Last month, a similar flight by two bombers over the Channel posed a potential danger to civilian flights and the Russian ambassador was summoned to London to explain. Also, earlier this week, a Russian warship equipped with missiles, anti-aircraft guns and torpedoes had to be escorted through the English Channel by the Royal Navy. Experts say that these maneuvers are a way of testing Britain’s speed of reaction. The Russians could also look for weaknesses in the British defense.
The latest incident came shortly after Britain’s Defense Secretary, Michael Fallon, warned that Putin posed a “real and present danger” to the Baltic region, where he could repeat the tactics in Ukraine against countries such as Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia, members of the NATO alliance.
“It’s a very real and present danger. He was testing NATO all last year, if you look at the number of flights and the maritime activity,” said the Defense Secretary on Wednesday.
“They are modernizing their conventional forces, they are modernizing their nuclear forces and they are testing NATO, so we need to respond,” he continued.
On the same day, Prime Minister David Cameron asked British businesses to support economic sanctions against Russia despite “short-term pain”.
“I know this will cause business some concerns because obviously we are a trading nation, we want to be able to trade and invest around the world, we do trade and invest in Russia,” David Cameron said.
“We have to be very firm and strong about these sanctions and say to Vladimir Putin: ‘What you’re doing is unacceptable and it will have economic and financial consequences for many years to come if you don’t desist in your behavior’.”
The British Prime Minister also said the use of “Russian rocket launchers” and “Russian tanks” by the rebels in Ukraine proved Putin’s involvement because those weapons cannot be bought on “eBay”.