Dossier
Russian Air Force
Coverage of Russian Air Force in the Nexus archive.
- RAF halts surveillance flights over Black Sea after Russian warplanes fly 'dangerously' close to British aircraft in 'Crazy Ivan' incident
The Royal Air Force has suspended surveillance flights over the Black Sea following an incident where Russian warplanes flew 'dangerously' close to British aircraft, echoing the Cold War-era 'Crazy Ivan' tactic. The encounter heightened tensions, prompting the UK to reassess its operational safety in the region.
- In Baltic skies, NATO and Russian pilots size each other up warily but without a tilt into war
NATO and Russian pilots conduct tense but non-confrontational aerial encounters in Baltic airspace, with French and Romanian detachments intercepting Russian reconnaissance aircraft and bombers. The missions aim to deter escalation amid heightened tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while avoiding direct conflict.