Russian plane drops sonar buoys near British carrier in North Sea incident

A Russian reconnaissance aircraft engaged in "unsafe and unprofessional" activity near a British naval group in the European North Sea, the British Ministry of Defense announced. The Tupolev Tu-142, known to NATO as Bear F, repeatedly approached the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

The incident, which occurred in early July with photos dated July 2, involved the Russian aircraft dropping several sonar buoys in the vicinity. The aircraft also failed to respond to radio communications on international safety frequencies, the ministry stated in a post on X.

In response, the Royal Navy scrambled two F-35 fighter jets from the HMS Prince of Wales to intercept and escort the Tu-142 out of the area. The British naval group is currently in the North Atlantic and High North as part of "Operation Firecrest," aimed at deterring Russian aggression and protecting underwater infrastructure.

The timing of the incident is significant, as NATO member states are set to meet in Ankara for a summit. Discussions are expected to focus on Russia's increasingly aggressive actions in the Baltic and North Seas, as well as alleged espionage and sabotage activities by Russia's "shadow fleet."

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This activity was unsafe and unprofessional