Leaked documents appear to show that a Russian fighter jet nearly shot down a British aircraft last year off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea.
The incident occurred on Sept. 29, 2022, with one of the Russian planes coming within 15 feet of the British surveillance plane but was not previously described as a “near-shoot down” as the leaked documents report it was.
LEAKED PENTAGON DOCUMENTS SHOW HOW DEEP US HAS PENETRATED RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE
If the plane had been shot down, it could have prompted the United Kingdom to invoke article five of the NATO treaty, which would have called upon other NATO countries, including the U.S., to come to the United Kingdom’s aid. Such action would get the U.S. involved in a direct war with Russia.
The U.S. and U.K. have avoided getting involved in direct warfare against Russia in the War in Ukraine, but have given Ukraine aid and support as a form of indirect support.
Leaked documents surfaced in recent days as showed that the United States has been able to successfully warn Ukrainian forces of various Russian strikes throughout the war. The document leaked from the Pentagon showed that Russian intelligence and security services had been penetrated by the United States.
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Sources and methods were not described in the documents, but the Department of Defense and the Justice Department have both said they are investigating the leaks.
Ukraine is widely expected to mount a counter-offensive in the War, as the conflict moves into its 14th month. The War in Ukraine began in February 2022, when Russian forces moved into the neighboring country and attempted a quick takeover of the country.
