NATO Intercepts Unique Russian ‘Black Pearl’ Over Eastern Europe

Italian Eurofighter Typhoons scrambled to block a specialized Tupolev Tu-134UBL.

Zach Vasile

Monday, November 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Russian Tu-134UBL nicknamed ‘Black Pearl’ by Western security experts, at left [Credit: NATO Allied Air Command via X]

Key Takeaways:

NATO jets intercepted a unique Russian Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft, nicknamed "Black Pearl," along with two Sukhoi Su-30 fighters over the Baltics.
The "Black Pearl" is a Tu-134UBL military variant, typically used for training bomber crews, though this specific aircraft is distinctively painted and believed to be used for VIP transport.
This interception is part of NATO's air policing missions, which have observed increased Russian incursions into allied airspace since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

See a mistake? Contact us.

NATO jets intercepted a unique Russian Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft—nicknamed “Black Pearl” by Western security experts—over the Baltics earlier this month.

In a statement, NATO Allied Air Command said Italian Eurofighter Typhoons stationed at Ämari Air Base in Estonia as part of an airspace policing mission intercepted several Russian military aircraft and escorted them out of the area. Among the Russian assets was the Black Pearl, which is a Tu-134UBL, a military variant of the Tu-134 passenger aircraft.