WATCH: RAF plane ‘dangerously intercepted’ by a Russian fighter jet over the Black Sea

Worrying scenes.

Officials are calling it the most dangerous Russian action against the UK since 2022.

A Russian Su-35 fighter flew so close to the RAF's Rivet Joint spy plane that it triggered the aircraft's emergency systems, disabling its autopilot mid-flight.

A second jet, a Su-27, then made six passes in front of the RAF plane.

At one point it came within just six metres (around 19ft) of the RAF plane's nose.

Defence Secretary John Healey praised the 'outstanding professionalism' of the RAF crew, who managed to fly the plane home safely despite the incident.

But he didn't hold back on Moscow.

"This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace," Healey said. "These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation."

He added: "This incident will not deter the UK's commitment to defend Nato, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression."

The MoD said the Rivet Joint had been carrying out a routine international flight to help secure Nato's eastern flank when the interceptions happened.

Both the MoD and the Foreign Office have called on the Russian embassy to condemn what took place.

The encounter is similar to an incident in September 2022, when a 'rogue' Russian pilot actually attempted to shoot down an RAF Rivet Joint over the Black Sea.

That pilot fired two missiles, the first of which missed rather than malfunctioned as Russia originally claimed.

At the time, Moscow blamed a 'technical malfunction' and the MoD publicly accepted the explanation.

But three senior Western defence sources later told the BBC the pilot had actually fired after receiving an ambiguous command from a Russian ground station.

The MoD said the latest interceptions come against a backdrop of growing Russian aggression in the region.

The RAF's RC-135W Rivet Joint, operated by No 51 Squadron, typically flies out of a base in Lincolnshire.

According to the RAF, the aircraft uses advanced sensors to intercept and analyse signals across the electromagnetic spectrum, providing real-time intelligence to the UK and its allies.