Russia

Moscow, September 28, 2026. Five men were arrested on Sunday, September 27, near the British Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, used by the US Air Force, report RIA Novosti, RT, TASS, Gazeta.Ru, Meduza, and Vedomosti. According to the Gloucestershire police statement cited by RIA Novosti, a call reported around 0:45 "three suspicious vehicles heading towards the airbase"; armed police officers arrested the five men near the village of Whelford, suspected of explosives law offenses. The counter-terrorism police took over the investigation, described as a "major incident," RT reports, noting that the BBC broadcast an unverified photo showing suspects sitting half-naked, faces blurred. A British Army bomb disposal unit examined the vehicles using a robot filmed by a helicopter, and about 85 homes were evacuated as a precaution, according to Meduza, which cites a Reuters correspondent mentioning around 30 emergency vehicles deployed in the village of Fairford.

The Russian press emphasizes the role of the base: Vedomosti recalls that Fairford is the only facility in Europe where American strategic bombers land, previously used against Iraq and Yugoslavia, and that a B-1 Lancer was deployed there in March, on the eighth day of the conflict in the Middle East. London authorized the use of the base to strike Iranian sites that same month, while ensuring that Washington would only conduct "defensive" operations. Gazeta.Ru notes that Tehran had already described the base as a legitimate target in the event of retaliation. Vedomosti also reports on a fire that occurred at Fairford on April 26 and a rally of about 200 protesters the day before, holding signs "No war with Iran" and "Americans, out of British bases." RIA Novosti adds that the British press reported on September 23 the use of satellite jammers by the Royal Air Force.

From Washington, Donald Trump praised the "fantastic" arrest, stating that the suspects were being monitored "for a long time" and "were looking to cause big damage to our port," as reported by TASS. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for "not speculating" before the facts are established, according to RT. The police deemed the situation "under control" without identifying a sponsor.