THE UK’S ROYAL Air Force (RAF) has scrambled jets to intercept two Russian bombers that were travelling north of Scotland, while Russia announced earlier it had dispatched a fighter jet to “prevent a violation” of its border by a Norwegian military patrol aircraft over the Barents Sea.

The incident saw the Russian Tu-142 Bear-F and Tu-142 Bear-J maritime patrol aircraft, used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, monitored by RAF Typhoons in international airspace as they passed north of the Shetland Islands in Scotland. 

Armed forces minister James Heappey said: “RAF crews at Lossiemouth maintain a constant watch over UK airspace and are always ready to take action at a moment’s notice to keep our country safe.

“Pilots launched in their Typhoon jets to intercept two Russian long-range bombers this morning, monitoring them as they passed north of the Shetland Islands, ready to counter any potential threat to UK territory.”

A Voyager tanker was also scrambled and remained airborne for the duration of the mission to offer air-to-air refuelling, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

Russia also confirmed today that it had dispatched a MiG-29 fighter jet to “prevent a violation” of its border by a Norwegian military patrol aircraft over the Barents Sea.

“As the Russian fighter approached, the foreign military plane made a U-turn away from the borders of the Russian Federation,” the Russian defence ministry said.

“There was no violation of the border,” the statement added, identifying the Norwegian aircraft as a P-8A Poseidon patrol plane.

The defence ministry said its flight was carried out in accordance with international rules, “without crossing air routes or making dangerous rapprochement”.

Bloomberg this afternoon reported that the Netherlands and Denmark deployed F-16 fighter jets as two Russian bombers approached NATO airspace over the North Sea. It reported that the Russian plaes turned back after being identified and that they never left international airspace. 

NATO member Norway shares a land border with Russia as well as a maritime border in the Barents Sea.

Incidents involving Russian and Western aircraft have multiplied over the recent months against the backdrop of Russia’s large-scale military intervention in Ukraine.

Separately, the Russian defence ministry said some of its strategic bombers carried out scheduled flights over neutral waters of the Baltic and northern seas, including the Barents Sea.

Includes reporting by Press Association and © AFP 2023