Members of the Cornish branch of the Celtic League have cast doubt on the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) version of what happened when two Russian aircraft were escorted from British airspace off the coast of Cornwall last Wednesday.
The Russian Tupolev TU-95 bombers, known as Bears, were picked up in international airspace to the north west of Britain at round 6.30pm and escorted as they flew south by two RAF Typhoon fighter.
After the incident, a spokesman for the MoD said: "RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched yesterday after Russian aircraft were identified flying close to UK airspace.
"The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest. At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK sovereign airspace."
However Michael Chappell, convenor of the Cornwall branch of the Celtic League has written to Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence, asking for clarification about the incident.
"We draw your attention to the fact that several eye witnesses here in Cornwall actually saw and described at least one of the Russian Federation aircraft flying well inland and directly over St Eval in Cornwall apparently following the route of the A30 road," he has written.
"Leaving aside the hysteria and whether these 1950's design propeller driven aircraft genuinely represent any real military threat other than a potential hazard to civil aviation, … we seek your assurance that an increasing number of eye witnesses in Cornwall are incorrect and that the Ministry of Defence's original assertion remains extant, notably that the Russian Federation aircraft were in international airspace at all times."
The Celtic League has also written to the Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko asking that incursions by Russian military aircraft into 'controlled airspace' around the Celtic countries "should be restricted or at least comply with ICAO guidance on safety".
