The United Kingdom intercepted two Russian aircraft after deploying an aircraft carrier to the Arctic Circle area to support NATO missions.
This is reported by Politico.
The Ministry of Defence said on Monday that two Russian Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft (Bear F) repeatedly approached the UK carrier strike group in the Norwegian Sea late last week, carrying out “dangerous and unprofessional” maneuvers.
It is noted that a Russian aircraft dropped a large number of sonobuoys near the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales — devices that can act as underwater microphones to search for and track submarines.
On July 2, British F-35 fighter jets from the carrier intercepted and escorted the Russian aircraft. HMS Prince of Wales — one of the UK’s two aircraft carriers — is the first European aircraft carrier to conduct NATO air-defense operations with F-35 fighters.
Earlier, the United Kingdom for the first time took command of the alliance’s special-purpose unit, which the Ministry of Defence called NATO’s forward rapid-deployment force group. It is noted that this unit is “capable of deploying anywhere in the world within a few days.”
Last week, it was reported that the superyacht of Russian President Vladimir Putin, worth £100 million, was sailing along Norway’s coast to return to Russia.
In an interview with POLITICO, Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis declined to say whether HMS Prince of Wales is tracking the vessel, but noted: “We know where it is.” He added: “The fact that the yacht is moving is, again, another combat indicator — to use a phrase from my past — that he (Putin) is under increasing pressure.”
Earlier, John Foreman, the former UK military attaché in Moscow, explained that the Russians “don’t want to take risks. After the Ukrainians struck Kronstadt, they decided to move the yacht as far away from Ukraine as possible.”