A Russian Tupolev Tu-95 plane is photographed by the Norwegian Air Force in International waters outside the coast of Norway August 17, 2007. President Vladimir Putin said security threats had forced Russia to revive the Soviet-era practice of sending bomber aircraft on regular patrols beyond its borders.
Photo: Reuters
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Pentagon Concerned About Unusual Maneuvers of Russia’s Bombers
The U.S. fighter planes intercepted past weekend unusual maneuvers of Russia’s strategic bombers in the Pacific Ocean.
Past weekend, Russia’s Tupolev 95 (Tu-95) twice flew directly over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz at the low altitude of 610 meters. It was accompanied by another bomber, Tu-95, circling some 90 kilometers from the vessel, the Associated Press reported with reference to an unidentified U.S. military official.
The incidents of this kind were common in time of the Cold War and in line with the long-established tradition, Pentagon has delivered no official complaints to Moscow related to the maneuvers. But Japanese Foreign Ministry officially announced February 9 that Russia’s Tu-95 crossed into Japanese airspace. Moscow predictably denied the intrusion.
Russia resumed far-distance flights of strategic aircraft in August after the break of 15 years. The respective order was given by President Vladimir Putin, who is also the country’s supreme commander-in-chief. The aim of this action is to indicate continuous presence in the regions that are strategically vital for the country.
From August to December, the strategic aircraft made over 70 flights to remote areas of the world, launching 217 missiles and bombs without the operational use, i.e. up to pushing the fire button.
www.kommersant.com
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