Sir, – We are a neutral country, and you would expect Russia to advise our air-traffic controllers when they are flying "missions" in our airspace. Surely there is a dreadful risk of one of these Russian bombers crashing into a civilian passenger aircraft? You are correct to conclude in your editorial ("Out of the Putin playbook", March 24th) that our diplomats should "make it clear to Russia that it must not continue". – Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, – Your editorial observes that Russian strategic bombers flying along the Irish coast of with their transponders switched off were “noticed” by Britain’s Royal Air Force and Nato.
By intergovernmental agreement, the RAF monitors and defends our airspace.
No other country is involved. Our Air Corps has no fast jets.
Would a government including Sinn Féin allow the British military, in the shape of RAF Tornado fighter jets, to conduct armed operations in the skies over Ireland in the defence of our sovereign airspace? – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair
Co Dhún na nGall.