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MoD Officials Ask Russians To Stay Away From UK Airspace
Officials from the Ministry of Defence have held talks with their Russian counterparts regarding recent "incursions" of aircraft around the UK.
“There have been discussions with Russia about setting up some means of avoiding any miscalculation with its long-range aviation,” Michael Fallon, told the Atlantic Council think-tank in the US.
The Defence Secretary said talks aimed to find ways of avoiding any "miscalculation or accident".
Russia has not crossed into UK airspace but has flown close to the boundary.
Last month Typhoon jets were scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth to intercept two Russian planes over the Atlantic.
The Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers were escorted by the RAF until they were clear of the "British area of interest".
In 2014 alone, NATO fighter jets were forced to intercept foreign aircraft over Europe 500 times.
Speaking at the Atlantic Council think tank in the US, Mr Fallon confirmed: "There have been discussions with Russia about setting up some means of avoiding any miscalculation with its long-range aviation.
"We have seen a number of incursions into the British flight information region over recent months...
"These aircraft have not been responding to communications from air traffic control, or indeed signals from the planes we send up to intercept them."
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