The Russian Defense Ministry said it urgently dispatched a fighter jet to escort a Royal Air Force aircraft, which flew near its border on Thursday.

In a statement issued by the national news agency RIA, the Ministry of Defence stated that “the British Air Force’s reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 is trying to approach the borders of the Russian Federation in the southwestern part of the Crimea Peninsula.”

RIA stated that it sent a Su-30 jet to accompany the British aircraft “about 30 kilometers.” [18.5 miles] From the border of the Russian Federation”, when the Russian plane approached, the British plane turned back.

Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and regarded it as Russian territory, although this claim was not recognized internationally.

This summer, Russia conducted multiple reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea, which angered Russia. NATO Some countries have conducted military exercises near the Russian border.

This undated US Air Force handout image shows an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in this illustrative image. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that it must escort a British RC-135 aircraft over Crimea.
Greg Davis/Getty

This story is developing.