RUSSIAN aircraft have not been invited to the prestigious Royal International Air Tattoo this year amid rising tensions with NATO countries.

Vladimir Putin’s warplanes are not welcome at the world’s biggest military airshow following flashpoints in the skies and eastern Europe.

The event has a reputation for showcasing aircraft from Russia, including the Yakovlev Yak-130, a state-of-the-art combat jet.

But RAF pilots are frequently being scrambled to escort Russian long-range bombers on flights towards British airspace.

The number of interceptions over Baltic States trebled last year and flights are detected towards UK sovereign territory about once a month.

NATO is also at loggerheads with Putin over his actions in Crimea and Ukraine.

RIAT’s honorary vice patron Tim Prince said: “The Paris Air Show had Russian planes, they were static exhibits.

"At the moment we would not be able to have them at an air force event.

"With the aviators our relationship is very, very good but the political side of it is so, so complicated.

"I hope we re-establish good relations with the Russians.”

The Paris Air show, which concluded two weeks ago, hosted nine Russian military contractors with a range of combat aircraft.

But the superpower does not appear on RIAT’s ‘invited’ list for this year’s event at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

Mr Prince said one of the highlights from the show, first staged in 1971, was Russian and American aircrews enjoying a beer after parking their military aircraft side by side.

"That’s really why I have been doing this for so long because actually aviators are aviators, and I like to see them talking to each other and having a beer together,” he said.

"I believe that that's good."

The event’s former chief executive also chose the South Korean Black Eagles’ stunning display in 2012 as the stand-out aerobatic performance to date.

"It was the best aerobatic display team I have seen, it was so accurate,” he said.

“It was a beautiful display, even when the weather was lousy."

RIAT takes place between July 17 and 19 with highlights this year set to include a Battle of Britain 75th anniversary fly-past featuring 16 Spitfires.