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British warplanes scrambled to intercept Russian bombers: media

Xinhua, February 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

British Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets have been scrambled to intercept two Russian bombers allegedly heading towards British airspace, local media reported Wednesday.

The Russian Tupolev TU 160 aircraft are in Britain's "area of interest," but have not yet entered its airspace, British Sky News quoted a Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesman as saying.

The Typhoons were sent from the RAF Coningsby base in Lincolnshire, and were escorting the Russia bombers south across the North Sea, the report said.

British government said its airspace extends 12 miles from its coastline.

The RAF warplanes have scrambled to intercept Russian jets several times in the past year.

The report did not mention how British government defines its "area of interest" beyond its airspace. Endit