British fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft approaching British warships in the Norwegian Sea. This was reported on Monday, July 6, by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom on social media platform X. The group of British naval forces in question was deployed in the Arctic as part of an expanded NATO mission. The UK Ministry of Defence stated that Bear F-type anti-submarine aircraft (the NATO designation for Russian Tu-142s) repeatedly approached the British carrier group in the Norwegian Sea, performing "unsafe and unprofessional" maneuvers. According to the British military, the Russian aircraft dropped numerous hydroacoustic buoys - devices for detecting and tracking submarines - in close proximity to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. In response, on July 2, F-35B fighter jets were launched from the deck of this ship to intercept and escort the Russian aircraft. UK Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis declined to confirm to Politico whether the aircraft carrier was tracking the movements of a yacht attributed to Vladimir Putin, which is reportedly now off the coast of Norway, heading back to Russia. "We know where it is," Jarvis stated, pointing to the "growing pressure" on the Russian leadership. ## NATO's mission in the Arctic was initiated to deter Russia In February, the headquarters of the Allied Joint Forces of the North Atlantic Alliance in Europe announced the start of the "Arctic Sentry" mission amid increasing military activity from Russia and growing Chinese interest in the Far North. "This will strengthen NATO forces to protect our territory and ensure security in the Arctic and the Far North," said U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grinkevich, who heads NATO's Joint Forces in Europe. In April, London also announced the creation of an alliance of "northern fleets" to bolster defense in Northwestern Europe and the Arctic. The alliance will be based on the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), which includes military personnel from the UK, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.