UK fighter jets intercept Russian patrol aircraft near HMS Prince of Wales

On July 2, a Russian Bear-F maritime patrol aircraft approached the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the Norwegian Sea while the vessel was participating in NATO operation Firecrest. The British Ministry of Defence reported that the Russian plane flew at low altitude and dropped multiple sonobuoys in close proximity to the carrier. The United Kingdom described the actions of the Russian pilot as unsafe and unprofessional. In response, two British F-35 fighter jets intercepted the Russian aircraft and escorted it away from the zone. The carrier strike group is currently deployed in the High North to strengthen security in the North Atlantic amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia. Defence Minister Dan Jarvis recently visited the forces aboard the carrier in waters near Iceland to oversee the mission. This incident occurred ahead of a NATO meeting in Ankara scheduled for Tuesday, where member states plan to discuss military aid for Ukraine.