Russia to Perform Survey Flight Over UK While US Flies Observation Planes Over Russia

According to the report, British specialists on board the observation aircraft will monitor compliance with the agreed flight parameters and the use of surveillance equipment.

Russian aircraft will perform an observation flight over the territory of the United Kingdom from 19 to 23 August 2019, according to the official newspaper of the Defence Ministry Krasnaya Zvezda.

"The Russian Federation plans to carry out an observation flight on an An-30B aircraft over the territory of the UK within the framework of implementing the international Treaty on Open Skies", the newspaper reported citing the head of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centre Sergey Ryzhkov.

Additionally, a US mission will perform its own observation flight on an OS-135B aircraft over Russia from 19 to 24 August.

The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in Helsinki on 24 March 1992, by representatives of 23 OSCE member states. Russia ratified the treaty in May 2001. The parties to the agreement are allowed to fly over each other’s territories in order to monitor military activities.