Russia has accused the British Royal Air Force (RAF) of having intercepted twice in one week its military aircraft flying over the Black Sea.
The accusation, launched by the Russian embassy in London, came after the RAF intercepted a Russian maritime patrol aircraft on the Black Sea last Friday.
The Russian embassy in a statement released on Saturday said “…. What kind of threat to Britain or its allies hypothetically makes a Russian patrol aircraft while flying near the coast of Russia, more than 2.000 km (1242.74 miles) from the British Isles ... instead of bolstering anyone's security, British authorities they are using a strong military presence (in the Black Sea area) for provocative actions. Not just by making verbal statements, but also in real military terms, which is simply dangerous ”.
The British defense and foreign ministries have refused to comment on the accusation made by the Russian embassy.
The British Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, during a speech held last July in London spoke of "an increasingly determined Russia". The minister has specified that the RAF has been forced to intercept Russian military planes more than 80 times in the last decade.
Relations between London and Moscow, after the poisoning of former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia last March in the English city of Salisbury, are becoming increasingly hostile. In fact, London believes that Moscow is responsible for the nerve attack against the former Russian agent while Russia continues to deny its involvement.
The British RAF maintains a presence in the Baltic countries and in Romania to discourage the potential Russian military action after the annexation of Moscow of Ukraine to the Crimea 2014. Moscow says its activity in the Black Sea region is ordinary and complies with international law.