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UK fighter planes escort Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers

According to UK’s Ministry of Defense, there were two Russian planes that did not enter British air space

LONDON, November 13. /TASS/. UK Typhoon fighter jets escorted Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers on Friday, according to a statement made public by the Royal Air Force.

"RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon aircraft launched today from [Lossiemouth and Coningsby air bases]. This was in response to Russian TU-160 Blackjack aircraft approaching UK Airspace and was coordinated with several [NATO] Allies," the Royal Air Force published on Twitter.

According to UK’s Ministry of Defense, there were two Russian planes that did not enter British air space. Earlier on Friday, the Dutch Defense Ministry reported that Belgian F-16 fighter jets had escorted Russian Tu-160 bombers.

Russian Embassy in the UK repeatedly noted that lately British politicians and military often cite the alleged Russian threat in order to justify increasing the defense budget and Britain’s military presence in other regions. The Russian diplomats also pointed out that the numerous sorties of the UK fighter jets to escort Russian planes are an unjustified spending of material and human resources that creates additional risks for civil aviation.

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