The Russian embassy sent a diplomatic note protesting the UK's inspection of the aircraft.
The Russian embassy in London accused Britain of blatant provocation and sent a diplomatic note to the British Foreign Office demanding an explanation for the aircraft inspection.
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| Aeroflot |
Furthermore, the Russian diplomatic mission expressed dissatisfaction that British law enforcement officials conducted inspections in the absence of the flight crew.
"The British attempted to inspect the aircraft without the crew present, which is strictly prohibited under current regulations. It took embassy staff arriving at the airport and lengthy negotiations to get the pilot to join the inspection team. But...""Following the inspection, the British still refused to provide any documents indicating the cause of this unusual activity, the legal basis, or the results of the inspection," the embassy representative concluded.
London's actions also puzzled the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry's official spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, speculated that the British side wanted to use the inspection as a pretext "to try and salvage its reputation."
"The actions of the British police clearly demonstrate a desire to carry out some kind of operation on the aircraft in the absence of witnesses," Zakharova stated.