Government says Russian plane incursion ‘unacceptable’

The Government has labelled the use of Irish-controlled airspace by two Russian bomber airplanes on Wednesday as unacceptable.

A joint statement released today by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Defence said the planes' sortie off the west coast of Ireland, which prompted an emergency response from RAF Typhoon fighter planes, did not encroach into sovereign Irish airspace.

It did, however, demonstrate a lack of communication on the Russians’ behalf, according to the Government.

"The Russian aircraft did not enter Irish sovereign airspace at any time but were in an area for which the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has air traffic control responsibility," said a Government spokesperson.

“Although there was no risk [of collision with civil aircraft] on this occasion, such non-notified and non-controlled flight activity is not acceptable.” The spokeswoman also said that Irish authorities will be seeking discussions with international and UK counterparts over the incident.

Tu-95 Bear bombers

According to UK media, the Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers had approached from the north, flying past the west coast of Ireland and into the English Channel before they were escorted back to their point of origin by British aircraft.

Commenting on the situation, a Russian embassy official defended the manoeuvre, saying it didn't violate any international conventions. The official also pointed out Nato flight activity around Russian borders, a major point of contention for the Moscow administration.

Latest incident

Wednesday’s event was the latest in a string of high-profile diplomatic incidents involving Russian airforce manoeuvres beyond the state’s aerial limits.

A Norwegian jet fighter narrowly avoided a collision with a Russian military aircraft in December, just three weeks after another Russian plane was intercepted by the Nordic nation’s airforce.

In a separate response, IAA also emphasised that there was no incursion on sovereign Irish airspace, but that the Tu-95s - which have the capability to carry nuclear weapons - were using airspace controlled by Irish authorities.

The IAA’s traffic control area extends some 256 nautical miles off Ireland’s west coast into the Atlantic Ocean, whereas the State’s sovereign airspace only extends to 12 nautical miles off land.

According to the IAA, the aircraft in question were located approximately 80km off the Irish coast.