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| Russian jet released missile near RAF aircraft over Black Sea | Russian jet released missile near RAF aircraft over Black Sea |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Russian SU-27, like those pictured, released a missile near the RAF plane | A Russian SU-27, like those pictured, released a missile near the RAF plane |
| A missile was released from a Russian aircraft near an unarmed RAF plane on patrol over the Black Sea, the defence secretary has said. | A missile was released from a Russian aircraft near an unarmed RAF plane on patrol over the Black Sea, the defence secretary has said. |
| Ben Wallace said the "potentially dangerous" incident happened on 29 September in international airspace. | Ben Wallace said the "potentially dangerous" incident happened on 29 September in international airspace. |
| Russia said it was the result of a "technical malfunction". | Russia said it was the result of a "technical malfunction". |
| UK patrols over the Black Sea were suspended but have now resumed and are escorted by a fighter jet following Russia's response. | UK patrols over the Black Sea were suspended but have now resumed and are escorted by a fighter jet following Russia's response. |
| Mr Wallace told MPs the UK was not treating the incident as a "deliberate escalation" by Russia but said it was a "reminder of quite how dangerous things can be when you choose to use your fighters in the manner that the Russians have done over many periods of time". | Mr Wallace told MPs the UK was not treating the incident as a "deliberate escalation" by Russia but said it was a "reminder of quite how dangerous things can be when you choose to use your fighters in the manner that the Russians have done over many periods of time". |
| He was speaking in the Commons following his urgent trip to the US earlier this week where he discussed the security situation in Ukraine, including the threat of a nuclear attack, with his American counterpart. | He was speaking in the Commons following his urgent trip to the US earlier this week where he discussed the security situation in Ukraine, including the threat of a nuclear attack, with his American counterpart. |
| The incident last month involved two Russian SU-27s and an unarmed RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint - an electronic surveillance plane. | |
| Mr Wallace said that during an "interaction" one of the SU-27 aircraft "released a missile in the vicinity of the RAF Rivet Joint beyond visual range". | Mr Wallace said that during an "interaction" one of the SU-27 aircraft "released a missile in the vicinity of the RAF Rivet Joint beyond visual range". |
| He said he expressed his concerns in a letter to the Russian defence minister. | He said he expressed his concerns in a letter to the Russian defence minister. |
| The minister's reply on 10 October said an investigation had been conducted and found there had been a "technical malfunction" with the Russian plane, Mr Wallace said. | The minister's reply on 10 October said an investigation had been conducted and found there had been a "technical malfunction" with the Russian plane, Mr Wallace said. |
| They also acknowledged the incident took place in international airspace, he added. | They also acknowledged the incident took place in international airspace, he added. |
| Mr Wallace suggested the Black Sea incident showed the Russian military were "not beyond making the wrong calculation or indeed deciding that the rules don't apply to them". | Mr Wallace suggested the Black Sea incident showed the Russian military were "not beyond making the wrong calculation or indeed deciding that the rules don't apply to them". |
| Luke Pollard, Labour's shadow defence minister, said: "This incident also acts as a serious reminder about the importance of avoiding escalation and miscalculation while continuing the UK's united support for Ukraine." | Luke Pollard, Labour's shadow defence minister, said: "This incident also acts as a serious reminder about the importance of avoiding escalation and miscalculation while continuing the UK's united support for Ukraine." |