Russian bombers raised the specter of the Cold War on Wednesday when they flew near UK airspace, forcing Royal Air Force jets to scramble and escort them away.
According to the BBC, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told reporters that the two Bear bombers did not enter sovereign airspace, but also said that he was "worried about Putin," referring to the Russian President.
He said that Putin had flown two other bombers "down the English Channel two weeks ago," noting, "It's the first time since the height of the Cold War, it's the first time that's happened."
Fallon explained that the former Soviets are "modernizing their conventional forces, they are modernizing their nuclear forces and they are testing NATO, so we need to respond."
He said the situation in post-invasion Ukraine was looking grim, and suggested a more emboldened Putin might attempt a similar invasion strategy in the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia — all members of NATO.
"You have tanks and armor rolling across the Ukrainian border and you have an Estonian border guard who has been captured and not yet still returned," said Fallon.
Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich took issue with Fallon's comments, responding on Thursday that he went "beyond diplomatic ethics," used "unacceptable terminology," and added that Russia would "find a way to respond."
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