British Inspectors to Make Surveillance Flight over Russia

Inspectors from Britain will conduct an inspection flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

“In the period from October 8 to 12, a British mission will conduct a surveillance flight on board Swedish SAAB OS-100 surveillance aircraft over the territory of the Russian Federation under the international Treaty on Open Skies,” the spokesman told journalists.

“A Russian group of inspectors plans to conduct two consecutive surveillance flights on board Russian Tu-154M Lk-1 surveillance aircraft over the US territory on October 8-22,” the spokesman said.

The Open Skies Treaty, signed in 1992 on an initiative of U.S. President George H.W. Bush, established a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its member states to promote openness and transparency of military forces and activities.

The treaty entered into force on January 1, 2002 and its regime covers the national territories (land, islands, internal and territorial waters) of all 34 treaty signatory states. It is an important element of the European security structure.