Russians almost shot down a NATO jet

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This incident could have dragged NATO straight into the war in Ukraine: As the Washington Post reports, citing a leaked US military document, a Russian fighter jet nearly shot down a British spy plane on September 29, 2022. The incident is called a “near kill” in the document.

Missile fired near British jet

Flashback: In October, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, 52, informed the House of Commons about the explosive incident, saying two Russian Su-27 fighter jets had intercepted an RC-135W Rivet Joint in international airspace over the Black Sea.

According to Wallace, the fighters flew “recklessly” and approached the British jet as close as 15 feet (4.5 m).

Then, according to Wallace, a missile was shot down “near” the British plane. Moscow later downplayed the awkward situation, citing a “technical malfunction” as the cause of the incident.

Wallace also suggested no Russian intention. Since then, British reconnaissance aircraft have only taken off in the company of fighter jets.

Technical defect prevents launch

The leaked document presents the case differently from Wallace. The situation would have been much more delicate. Accordingly, the missile was fired on purpose.

According to the New York Times, the pilot misinterpreted communications with staff and thought he was cleared to do so. A technical defect prevented the extremely dangerous incident.

Dangerous situations occur again and again in the international airspace over the Black Sea. A few weeks ago, in March, a Russian fighter jet shot down an American MQ 9 drone.

Western aerial reconnaissance is of great importance for Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invaders. At the same time, however, the NATO countries do not want to be directly involved in the war. A game with fire. (nad)

Source: Blick