MOSCOW. Aug 15 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Defense Ministry has dismissed BBC reports that British fighter jets intercepted six Russian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers over the Black Sea on Monday.
"Four aircraft of the Black Sea Fleet's maritime aviation, with not a single Su-24 bomber among them, performed scheduled training flights over the Black Sea on August 13," the ministry said.
Following the mission, several Russian aircraft spotted a NATO warplane over 30 kilometers away, it said.
"This aircraft performed no maneuvers, did not deviate from its route, and did not approach Russian aircraft on their way back to their airfield where they are based," the ministry said.
"Aircraft of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's maritime aviation are performing flights in strict compliance with international rules governing the use of airspace, without any violations of the borders of other countries," it said.
The UK's Royal Air Force said earlier on Wednesday that six Russian Su-24s had been intercepted over the Black Sea near NATO borders.