Russia risking ‘direct armed confrontation’ with Nato, warns Cooper

British jets are ready to “confront” Russian planes violating Nato airspace, the Foreign Secretary has told the UN, as she accused Moscow of risking “direct armed confrontation”.

Yvette Cooper condemned recent Russian incursions into Nato airspace as she addressed the UN Security Council for the first time as Foreign Secretary.

She said: “They are a deliberate attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of sovereign nations and European security.

“They risk miscalculation. They open the door to direct armed confrontation between Nato and Russia.”

On September 19, three Russian jets entered Estonian airspace without permission, remaining there for 12 minutes and being intercepted by Italian aircraft operating as part of Nato’s Eastern Sentry mission.

The incursion followed similar incidents in Poland and Romania in which Russian drones were intercepted or shot down over Nato territory.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country was the closest to “open conflict” it had been since the Second World War, while the EU’s high representative on foreign affairs warned Russia was “testing the West’s resolve”.

In response to the done incursion over Poland, the UK announced that RAF Typhoon jets would also take part in Eastern Sentry, flying their first mission over Poland late on September 19.

Speaking at the UN on Monday, Ms Cooper said: “Our alliance is defensive, but be under no illusion, we stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend Nato’s skies and Nato’s territory.

“We are vigilant. We are resolute. And if we need to confront planes that are operating in Nato airspace without permission, then we will do so.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves, meanwhile, said hostile states such as Russia were behind some of the cyber attacks that UK businesses have experienced in recent months.

Marks and Spencer, Co-Op and several airports are among the businesses recently affected.

Ms Reeves told ITV News that the Government and businesses need to “step up” in their efforts to deal with increasing threats to cyber security.

“We also need to deal with this at source,” she said.

“It’s coming from hostile states, states like Russia – and that’s why we are doing what we are doing.

“A number of these attacks originate in Russia by Russian-backed entities, and we are getting a grip of that.”