Russia accuses British reconnaissance aircraft of border violation

An RC-135 reconnaissance plane of the British Royal Air Force "illegally crossed" Russia's state border in the Arctic area of Cape Svyatoy Nos, the Russian Defence Ministry has said.

The British aircraft was discovered over the waters of the Barents Sea, and a MiG-31BM fighter scrambled in response and forced the plane out of the Russian territory, the ministry was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

It was rare for military planes of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to breach Russia's airspace, news reports said.

--IANS

int/shs