Russia’s Su-35 Repeatedly Intercepted RAF Rivet Joint Over Black Sea, UK Says

The UK Ministry of Defence said two Russian fighter jets “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted a Royal Air Force Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month, with one Russian Su-35 flying close enough to trigger emergency systems including disabling the autopilot.

“Two Russian jets have “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft in April over the Black Sea, according to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence”

Al Jazeera

The MoD described the Su-27 intercept as six passes in front of the British aircraft, flying as close as six metres of the Rivet Joint’s nose, and said the Rivet Joint was unarmed and conducting routine surveillance in international airspace to secure NATO’s eastern flank.

Al Jazeera

The Aviationist reported that the MoD revealed the news of the intercepts on May. 20, 2026, though it said they appear to have occurred during April, and it described the Su-35 as making emergency alerts trigger on the British jet and automatically disabling its autopilot.

The Independent said defence secretary John Healey warned that “These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation,” after the MoD said the incident was among the most dangerous confrontations between Russian jets and British Rivet Joint aircraft since 2022.

In the same MoD account, CBS News said the Su-27 flew as close as six meters (19 feet) to the British plane’s nose during the surveillance mission, and it described the encounter as the most serious involving a UK Rivet Joint since 2022.

Defence secretary John Healey said the incident was “another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace,” and he added that “These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation.”

Healey also said he would “pay tribute to the outstanding professionalism and bravery of the RAF crew, who continued with their mission despite these dangerous actions,” as the MoD framed the Rivet Joint flight as routine international airspace work.

BBC

The Independent reported that the MoD said the incident was one of the most dangerous confrontations between Russian jets and British Rivet Joint aircraft since 2022, when a plane fired a missile over the Black Sea.

Al Jazeera reported that there was “no immediate reaction from Russia” after the UK Ministry of Defence said the intercepts occurred in April and that the Rivet Joint was securing NATO’s eastern flank.

The UK government also formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident, with Al Jazeera saying the defence and foreign ministry officials “formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident” in its Wednesday statement.

The MoD said the intercepts came as relations between the two countries remained at a historic low over the Ukraine war and longstanding spying allegations, and CBS News described the encounter as part of the UK’s work alongside allies to secure NATO’s Eastern Flank.

“- Published Two Russian warplanes "repeatedly and dangerously" intercepted an unarmed RAF spy plane over the Black Sea last month, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said”

BBC

CBS News linked the air incident to earlier statements by Healey about Russian submarine activity, saying the intercepts came days after he announced the Royal Navy had tracked and “seen off” three Russian submarines on an alleged month-long “covert operation” in Atlantic waters “north of the U.K.”

The Independent similarly said the MoD described increased Russian aggression in the region, including recent submarine activity near critical underwater British infrastructure in the North Sea, and it noted the National Security Strategy Committee questioned members of the MoD and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The Aviationist placed the incident within a longer pattern of NATO-described unprofessional intercepts, saying the intercepts were the latest in a long line of intercepts which NATO forces have said were conducted unprofessionally.

In the same MoD framing, GOV.UK said despite the dangerous Russian actions the RAF crew “remained calm and professional throughout and completed their planned flight,” while it reiterated that the incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK Rivet Joint since 2022.