LONDON (Sputnik) — UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said Monday he had authorized limited military-to-military engagement with Russia to ensure the security of British airspace.
"<…> In the interests of air and maritime safety I have authorized MOD officials to undertake limited military-to-military engagement with the Russians to ensure that our own airspace is properly protected," Fallon said at a parliament hearing.
Russia’s relations with the United Kingdom have soured since 2014. Britain, alongside other Western states, accused Moscow of annexing Crimea, not recognizing the results of a referendum where most of the local citizens voted to rejoin Russia. London also accused Moscow of backing the independence militias in eastern Ukraine, a claim Russia denied repeatedly.
The United Kingdom has repeatedly claimed that Russian aircraft fly in close proximity to its airspace.
In January 2015, local media reported that two Russian bombers were seen flying over British airspace on its southern coast, leading the Royal Air Force to dispatch two jets in response.
