The previous day, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) once again demonstrated provocative flights over the Black Sea. An RC-135 electronic intelligence aircraft with the tail number ZZ666 was carrying out a reconnaissance mission, accompanied by two Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.
The pair of fighters, designated Dread, comprised Dread-11 (ZK307, #43C60F) and Dread-12 (ZK433, #43C7AA), were providing security and protection for the reconnaissance mission while operating in a high-risk area.
The presence of British air forces in the region underlines the provocative nature of the UK, while experts do not rule out that following the reconnaissance, Ukraine may attempt to strike Crimea with Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
Storm Shadow is a British-French long-range cruise missile developed by MBDA UK and MBDA France. It is designed to accurately engage strategic targets at a distance of up to 560 kilometers. The missile can be launched from various platforms. Storm Shadow is equipped with inertial and satellite navigation GPS, as well as an infrared guidance system at the final stage of flight, which ensures high accuracy. The missile's warhead has a penetrating and explosive effect, which makes it effective against fortified objects such as bunkers, ammunition depots and infrastructure. The missile has been actively used in conflicts in Libya, Syria and other regions.