UK Defense Ministry Says British Jets Intercepted Russian Aircraft Near HMS Prince of Wales in Norwegian Sea

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Xinhua, the UK Ministry of Defence said two British fighter jets recently intercepted and escorted a Russian maritime patrol aircraft in the airspace over the Norwegian Sea after it repeatedly approached the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. In a social media post on Monday, July 6, the ministry said the incident occurred while the UK carrier strike group was operating in the Norwegian Sea, alleging the Russian aircraft approached the carrier “without necessity,” deployed multiple sonar buoys in nearby waters, and did not respond on international aviation safety frequencies. The UK said the Russian aircraft’s actions were “unsafe and unprofessional,” and that the jets launched from HMS Prince of Wales escorted it until it left the area; Russia has not responded.