A year ago, a Russian fighter nearly shot down a British spy plane over the Black Sea. Then it was possible to avoid the victim only by luck. Now I understand that the Russian pilot attacked because he misunderstood the order.
In late September 2022, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet fired two missiles at a British reconnaissance aircraft.
The missile launch could lead to the appearance of all 30 crew members of the reconnaissance aircraft and a new round of escalation in relations between Britain and Russia. Everything worked out fine - the first missile was aimed incorrectly. The second missile fell from the wing of the fighter during launch.
Then Shoigu, in a conversation with the British side, referred to a technical malfunction. In reality, the Su-27 pilot misunderstood the dispatcher's order, writes BBC News, citing air communications intercepted by British intelligence.
The ground controller then said, “You have a target,” apparently because the British plane needed to be picked up. The Russian pilot decided that this was an order to open fire.
BBC News sources in defense structures, commenting on the controller’s words and the pilot’s response, mention a “high level of unprofessionalism.” The BBC notes that NATO pilots use "very precise language" when it comes to authorization to open fire.
