Britain's RAF scrambles jets as Russian bombers near UK airspace

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Britain has scrambled Typhoon fighter jets to intercept two Russian long-range bombers near UK airspace, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.

In January, Britain summoned the Russian ambassador to explain a similar episode, when Russian bombers flew over the English Channel, forcing British authorities to reroute civil aircraft.

“The Russian aircraft are being escorted by the RAF (Royal Air Force) in the UK area of interest,” a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said.

The MoD did not give the location of Tuesday’s interception, which comes just three weeks before a knife-edge election in which defence policy has been an issue.

The Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.

Reuters