") no-repeat center center;background-size:10px 16px;content:' '}@media(min-width:768px){.ewxxwj::before{display:none}}.eRUBrT{min-height:377px;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.hBtwqu .taboola{display:none}}.gKtCsF.register-wall-style{position:relative;box-shadow:0 -10px 16px 13px rgba(255,255,255,0.95)}.gKtCsF.closed{display:none}.dHAlCf{display:inline-block}.dHAlCf button svg{width:100%;height:100%;margin:0}:not(.subscribed) .dHAlCf{margin:0 12px 0 0}.subscribed .dHAlCf{margin:0 0 16px 0}.ehwQKm{display:block;overflow:hidden;width:34px;height:34px;outline-color:#337e81}.ehwQKm.saved svg circle{fill:#337e81}.ehwQKm.saved svg path{fill:#fff;stroke:#fff}.fVRQAa{display:none;position:fixed;top:0;right:0;z-index:1002;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:12px;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:8px;opacity:0}@media(min-width:768px){.fVRQAa{top:24px;right:22px;width:400px}}.fVRQAa.show-notification{display:block;opacity:1;transition:1s opacity}.fzIwMY{position:absolute;top:6px;right:10px;cursor:pointer;font-size:14px}.hltAOp{margin:0;font-family:'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.5px;line-height:1.38}.YqNoR{margin:5px 0;font-size:14px;line-height:normal}.cZjZhw{color:#337e81}.jdHyWl{font-size:12px}.inYZBd{display:block}@media(min-width:768px){.inYZBd{display:block}}.inYZBd:last-child button{margin-right:0}.inYZBd path{stroke:#fff}.zmVYE button{margin-right:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.zmVYE{display:none}.zmVYE button{margin-right:12px}}.dVWpvP{display:flex;position:relative;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.dVWpvP{justify-content:flex-end;padding-top:12px;margin:0}}.dVWpvP svg{width:60%;height:60%;margin:20%;fill:#fff;stroke:#fff}.dVWpvP amp-social-share{margin:0 6px;border-radius:50%;background:0;outline:0}.dVWpvP amp-social-share:first-of-type{margin-left:0}.dVWpvP amp-social-share:last-of-type{margin-right:0}@media(min-width:768px){.dVWpvP .share-mobile-only{display:none}}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-bookmark svg{display:block;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-bookmark:hover{opacity:.85}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-facebook{background:#3b5998}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-facebook:hover{background:#2f4779}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-twitter{--color:#4a90e2;--color-alt:#4a90e2;background:var(--color)}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-twitter:hover{background:var(--color-alt)}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-whatsapp{background:#25d366}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-whatsapp:hover{background:#1da851}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-whatsapp svg{width:70%;height:auto;margin:15%}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-email{background:#ec1a2e}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-email:hover{background:#ac2a2c}.dVWpvP .amp-social-share-email svg path{stroke:#fff}.eenvLS svg{fill:#fff;stroke:#fff}.cxhmLW{display:flex}.sticky .cxhmLW{flex-direction:column}.gvXhxM{overflow:hidden;height:23px;margin-bottom:8px;border-bottom:0;clear:both}@media(min-width:768px){.gvXhxM{height:25px}}.iapcTM{display:inline-block;flex-shrink:0;margin:0 12px 0 0;font:bold 14px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.iapcTM::after{content:':'}.byOchr{display:inline-block;margin-right:12px;margin-bottom:4px;color:#222;font:normal 14px/1.29 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration:underline}.grBQcR>p{margin:16px 0}.article-premium .grBQcR>p{line-height:27px}.grBQcR>h2{font-size:21px}.article-climate .grBQcR>h2{color:#19d37a}.article-sgi .grBQcR>h2{color:#2dccd3}.grBQcR>p:first-child{margin-top:0}.grBQcR span:first-child~p:first-of-type{margin-top:0}.eEoeZu{display:flex;position:relative;max-width:100%;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;background-color:transparent;clear:both}.teads .eEoeZu{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.uCvyt{display:none}}.uCvyt[data-mpu1]{min-height:600px}.uCvyt #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.uCvyt.pb-20{padding-bottom:20px}.cJesZw{display:flex;overflow:hidden;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:column;gap:4px;margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:768px){.cJesZw{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.cJesZw{max-width:622px}}.eRdpnN{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:column;padding:8px 12px 12px;border-top:8px solid #ec1a2e;background-color:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:768px){.eRdpnN{padding:16px 12px 0}}.dmUfSr{font:bold 22px/26px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;margin-block:0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:768px){.dmUfSr{font:bold 30px/34px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.048px;text-align:left}}.bvjEjS{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px;padding:4px 12px;background-color:#fde8ea;color:#ec1a2e}.kXekYs{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.jnFpgW{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;margin-block:0}.iIHOax{display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;gap:16px;margin:16px 0 0}@media(min-width:768px){.iIHOax{margin:16px 0}}.bMelEi{margin-bottom:4px;font:bold 20px/24px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.032px;margin-block:0}.eoUGrv{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.026px;margin-block:0}.ljzdLI{width:50px;height:55px}.eIgfrf{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;gap:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.eIgfrf{flex-direction:row;justify-content:space-between;margin-bottom:16px;transition:margin-bottom .3s ease-in-out}}.htLSUi{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.htLSUi{max-width:236px}}.czCuVM{display:none;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.czCuVM{display:flex}}.cWGfXb{display:flex;width:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.cWGfXb{display:none}}.cYdwjL{display:flex;overflow:hidden;height:0;flex-direction:column;gap:8px;opacity:0;transition:all .3s ease-in-out}@keyframes slidedown-video{from{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{from{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}.dQlIgv .video-top-container-inner{position:relative}.dQlIgv .video-popout-close{display:none}.dQlIgv .video-hero-wrapper-inner{display:block}.dQlIgv .video-hero-video{width:100%;margin:0;transition:height .2s}.dQlIgv .video-hero-wrapper.sticky-video{position:fixed;top:95px;width:400px;margin-left:-332px;transition:margin-left .3s,top .3s .1s}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{position:static;right:0;left:auto;width:100%}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video.liveblog{margin-left:-12px}@media(min-width:768px){.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{position:absolute;width:400px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{top:94px;right:-56px}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video.liveblog{right:-400px}}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{position:fixed;top:0;left:auto;z-index:9;width:100%;background-color:#fff;box-shadow:0 0 40px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.5)}@media(min-width:768px){.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{width:400px;animation:slidedown-video .4s}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{top:auto;bottom:0;animation:slideup-video .4s}}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close{display:none;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;padding:4px 8px 3px;color:#222;cursor:pointer;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px}@media(min-width:1000px){.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close{justify-content:flex-start}}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close::after{display:flex;align-items:center;padding-left:4px;content:'\2715';font-size:12px}.dQlIgv .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close.shown{display:flex}.cZqLX{max-width:100%}.iWXMiY{position:relative}.eABdXR{position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;background:#000}.VhUnw{display:flex;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center}.kofzAG{width:10%}.eparDe.fullscreen{position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:3000000000;width:100%;height:100%;background:#000}.eparDe .closebtn{display:none;position:absolute;top:0;right:0;width:100px;height:100px}.eparDe .closebtn.show{display:block}.eparDe .btn{position:absolute;top:5px;right:5px;width:25px;height:25px;color:#fff;font-family:helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:20px;line-height:25px;text-align:center}.gLsdeF{max-width:100%;clear:both}.jLfapq{display:flex;justify-content:center}.iCRxVL.mobile-only{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.iCRxVL.mobile-only{display:none}}.iCRxVL.desktop-only{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.iCRxVL.desktop-only{display:block;margin-bottom:16px}}.iCRxVL.desktop-only+p{margin-top:0}.jycmuO{width:100%;flex-grow:1}.jycmuO .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{display:block;overflow:hidden;max-height:360px}.jycmuO .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide] .social-share{display:none}.jycmuO .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide].show-all-content{max-height:100%}@media(max-width:594px){.jycmuO .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{max-height:530px}}.jycmuO .amp-newsletter-reg-gate{position:relative;left:-12px;width:calc(100% + 24px)}.jycmuO .social-share{width:100%;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.jycmuO .social-share{justify-content:flex-start}}.jycmuO .social-share.sticky{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.jycmuO .social-share.sticky{display:flex;position:sticky;top:14px;width:34px;flex-direction:column;margin-top:0;margin-left:-25%;float:left}.jycmuO .social-share.sticky amp-social-share,.jycmuO .social-share.sticky .sc-mgcah7-0{margin:0 0 16px 0}.article-feature .jycmuO .social-share.sticky{margin-top:35%}}.jycmuO.sponsored-article img,.jycmuO.sponsored-article video{width:100%;max-width:602px;height:auto}.jycmuO.sponsored-article iframe{max-width:602px;max-height:400px}.jycmuO .under-article-prompt-donations{padding-bottom:8px;margin-top:-3px}.jycmuO .big-letter{--color:#222;display:flex;position:relative;width:0;height:0;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:40px;margin-top:22px;margin-right:12px;border:1px solid var(--color);float:left;font-family:'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;font-size:52px;font-weight:normal;line-height:1;text-transform:uppercase}.jycmuO .big-letter:first-child{margin-top:6px}.jycmuO .big-letter::before{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid var(--color);border-radius:50%;content:''}.jycmuO #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:2350px}@media(min-width:768px){.jycmuO #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:3370px}}.jycmuO #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:130px}@media(min-width:768px){.jycmuO #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:415px}}.jycmuO .sc-fwko30-0+.sc-1xtsh2b-0{margin-top:-16px}@media(min-width:768px){.jycmuO{max-width:636px;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.jycmuO{max-width:624px;margin:0}.jycmuO.subscribed{max-width:636px}}@media(max-width:999px){.jycmuO{padding-right:0}.jycmuO .under-article-prompt-donations{margin-top:-18px}}.ditsfG{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:8px;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.ditsfG{width:70%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:0;font:normal 16px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.ditsfG{width:70%;margin-bottom:0}}.dxTPdy{display:flex;height:20px;margin:0 12px 8px 0}.dxTPdy::before{display:inline-block;align-self:center;margin-top:1px;margin-right:12px;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.dxTPdy:first-child::before{content:none}@media(min-width:768px){.dxTPdy{height:24px;margin-bottom:0}.dxTPdy::before{margin-top:2px}}.dxTPdy time{display:block}.dxTPdy time::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.eHtxCY{color:#fff}.fULfOe{display:inline-block;margin:0 12px 8px 0;color:#ec1a2e;font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.5px}.fULfOe:hover,.fULfOe:active{color:#ac2a2c}@media(min-width:768px){.fULfOe{margin-bottom:0}}.gugpMY{margin:0 4px 8px 0}.gugpMY::before{display:inline-block;margin-top:2px;margin-right:12px;color:#646464;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.gugpMY:first-child::before{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.gugpMY{margin-bottom:0}}.dLwSzL::before{color:#fff}.ierIwW{display:flex;justify-content:flex-start;padding:0;margin:0 0 16px}@media(min-width:768px){.ierIwW{display:flex;width:30%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.ierIwW{width:30%}}.ggrdNp{padding-top:0;border-top:0;border-bottom:0}@media(min-width:768px){.ggrdNp{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;padding-bottom:16px}.ggrdNp .sc-1qz44j0-0{order:1}.ggrdNp .sc-1qz44j0-10{order:2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.ggrdNp{flex-direction:row}}.hKyPUQ{padding:16px 12px 12px;text-align:left;font:bold 14px/18px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.hKyPUQ{padding:16px 16px 12px}}.article-infact .hKyPUQ{padding:16px 0}@media(min-width:1000px){.hKyPUQ{padding:24px 0 19px}.article-feature .hKyPUQ{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto}}.hKyPUQ a{color:#222}.hKyPUQ a:hover{color:#ac2a2c}.hKyPUQ a:hover::after{color:#222}.hKyPUQ a::after{margin-right:4px;margin-left:4px;content:'>'}.hKyPUQ a:last-child::after{display:none}.Axkkz{margin:0 0 20px;letter-spacing:0}.jNPhIG{margin:0;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.jNPhIG{font:normal 18px/22px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.jNPhIG{font:normal 20px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.jNPhIG p{font:inherit}.article-feature .jNPhIG a{font-weight:bold}.fZLZuJ{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto;background:#fff}@media(min-width:1000px){.fZLZuJ{padding:0 16px}.parallax .fZLZuJ{max-width:1240px}}.bGQtoA{font:bold 32px/36px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0156em}@media(min-width:768px){.bGQtoA{font:bold 44px/48px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0113em}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bGQtoA{font:bold 54px/58px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0092em}}.lhQfNw{background:#222}.lhQfNw .sc-qvufca-1{max-width:968px;background:#222}.lhQfNw .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0}@media(max-width:999px){.lhQfNw .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0 12px 0}}.lhQfNw .sc-22qwnu-0,.lhQfNw .sc-22qwnu-0 a{color:#fff}.lhQfNw .sc-qvufca-2,.lhQfNw .sc-aeekvc-0{color:#fff}.lhQfNw .sc-qvufca-2{margin:0 0 20px}.lhQfNw .sc-aeekvc-0{margin-bottom:16px}.kBoBOY{--bleed:12px;display:flex;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:row;gap:32px;padding:16px var(--bleed);background-color:#fff}.article-liveblog .kBoBOY{background-color:#f7f7f7}@media(min-width:768px){.kBoBOY{--bleed:0;max-width:1000px;margin:0 auto}}@media(min-width:1000px){.kBoBOY{--bleed:16px;max-width:1000px;padding:var(--bleed)}}.krPTAI{overflow:hidden;height:0;color:transparent}.bJuTTT{max-width:100%;margin:0 0 20px}.bJuTTT.sticky{position:sticky;top:16px}.hCzMkb{min-height:600px}.hCzMkb #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.fyBcEr{max-width:100%}.egNilO{margin:0 0 6px;color:#646464;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:15px}.iypon{margin:0 0 12px}.iBbbxQ{height:380px}.cJhVZw{width:100%;height:51px}.elzxNt{margin-bottom:16px;border-bottom:1px solid #919191}.iaGggL{margin-bottom:16px}.iaGggL [role='listitem']{position:relative;margin-bottom:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #d3d3d3}.iaGggL [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0{display:flex;position:absolute;bottom:16px;left:10px;width:32px;height:32px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;border-radius:50%;background-color:#ec1a2e}.iaGggL [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0>svg{width:90%;fill:#fff;stroke:transparent}.iaGggL [role='listitem']:first-child{display:block;padding-bottom:0;margin-bottom:12px}.iaGggL [role='listitem']:first-child .sc-u4n1j-0{top:-15px;bottom:auto;left:12px;width:35px;height:35px}.iaGggL [role='listitem']:first-child>*:first-child{display:block;width:100%;height:205px}.iaGggL [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;padding:28px 12px 12px;background:linear-gradient(to top,#222 50%,rgba(34,34,34,0.9) 100%) no-repeat;color:#fff;font-size:17px;font-weight:bold}.iaGggL [role='listitem']:last-child{margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0 none}@media(max-width:767px){.csFWjG{display:none}}.ftqPbV{width:308px}.ftqPbV.hidden{display:none}@media(max-width:999px){.ftqPbV{display:none}}.article-liveblog .gVBbut{background-color:#f7f7f7}.hMHCJv{justify-content:center}.jnSoZZ{justify-content:center}
News World Europe Russian fighters ‘scrambled over Black Sea to prevent British warplanes approaching Russian airspace’ Russia said the jets were sent to intercept ‘three air targets’ approaching Russian airspace near the Black Sea
Russia claims two British warplanes spotted near border Support truly independent journalism Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth. Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Find out more Two Russian fighter jets were scrambled on Thursday to prevent three British warplanes from entering Russian airspace over the Black Sea , the Russian defence ministry has claimed.
The Su-27 fighter jets were sent to intercept “three air targets” near the border, with Russia claiming to have identified them as a British RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and two Typhoon fighter planes.
“As the Russian fighters approached, the foreign military aircraft turned away from the state border of the Russian Federation,” the statement claimed. It was not clear how close the planes came to each other.
The Black Sea has become an increasingly important theatre in the war between Russia and Ukraine, now nearing the end of its 20th month.
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he had ordered Russian planes armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to patrol over the Black Sea.
open image in gallery
Two Russian Su-27 jets were scrambled to intercept three British warplanes, Russia claims Russia has previously reported a number of incidents in which its fighter jets were scrambled to intercept military planes from Norway, another NATO member, over the Barents Sea.
In September last year, a Russian pilot fired two missiles towards an RAF surveillance plane after mistakenly believing he had permission to fire.
Russia claimed it had been caused by a “technical malfunction” with the UK ’s Ministry of Defence publicly accepting their explanation.
After firing, the first missile missed the RAF plane while the second failed to launch successfully. If it had reached its target, it could potentially have drawn a Nato member into a military confrontation with Russia.
The two Russian SU-27 fighter jets had encountered the RAF plane, which was carrying a crew of up to 30 people, as it was flying a surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace on 29 September 2022.
The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.
Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments