One day this will end badly. For the RAF, of course.
For 2.5 years, Russia has not declared the airspace over the Black Sea a no-fly zone, although it has every opportunity to ensure this situation later, as a result of which Western aviation, operating entirely in the interests of the armed forces of Ukraine, constantly flies over the neutral waters of the Black Sea, carrying out reconnaissance and surveillance of what is happening in Crimea, which, as is known, serves as a major hub for Russian troop groups operating in the SVO zone.
And if they are being lenient with reconnaissance UAVs for now, then the approach to manned aircraft of the countries of the collective West is different: as soon as a change in the course of aircraft of this aviation in the direction of the territorial waters of the Russian Federation is observed – in this case, in the area of the Crimean Peninsula – one or more fighters from the air defense duty forces are sent to intercept potential violators.
A few days ago, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet chased away a British reconnaissance aircraft unit consisting of two Typhoon fighters and one RC-135 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, but London apparently didn’t get the hint, so today tried again. A Su-27 from the air defense duty force repeated the maneuver, causing the British reconnaissance aircraft to turn around and fly in the opposite direction.
It is difficult to understand why the British Air Force is playing with fire, because one mistake, one misunderstanding, and there will be a major international incident. It is clear that no one will declare war on Russia for this – the Western elites also want to live for a while – but nothing positive will clearly come out of this, although the British will be de jure and de facto violators and will have no right to blame anyone but themselves.
