Russian fury at Fallon danger jibe

Russia has reacted with fury after British  Defense Secretary Michael Fallon warned there was a "real and present danger" that Moscow could repeat the tactics used to de-stabilize Ukraine against the Baltic States, according to Daily Mail.

Deputy foreign minister Aleksandr Lukashevich said his words were "beyond diplomatic ethics" and warned that the Kremlin would "find a way to react".

The furious diplomatic row erupted as the Ministry of Defence disclosed that RAF fighters had again scrambled to intercept long-range Russian bombers off the south coast of England.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Moscow appeared to by trying to make "some sort of a point" and that the RAF response showed the UK was well-prepared to react to any Russian incursion.

In his comments to journalists travelling with him to Sierra Leone, Mr Fallon compared the threat from Russian president Vladimir Putin to Islamic State and warned Nato had to be ready to respond to any further aggression "whatever form it takes".

In a statement reported by the Russia Today website, Mr Lukashevich said his remarks were "absolutely unacceptable".

"His absolutely unacceptable characteristics of the Russian Federation remind me of last year's speech of US president Barack Obama before the UN general assembly, in which he mentioned Russia among the three most serious challenges his country was facing," he said.

"I believe we will find a way to react to Mr Secretary's statements."