Four Russian strategic bombers fly near NATO airspace
The Russian MoD reported on 29 April that two Tu-160 (NATO: Blackjack) strategic missile carriers completed a planned flight in airspace over the Baltic Sea.
At certain parts of the 8h long flight, the aircraft were escorted by Finnish F-18C/Ds, F-16C/Ds from Poland and JAS 39 Gripen from Sweden.
The MoD claimed in a statement: ‘All flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces are carried out in strict accordance with the International Airspace Management System without violating the borders of other states.’
This exercise came after two Russian Tu-22M3 bombers (pictured) flew over neutral waters in the Barents and Norwegian Seas on 28 April. This flight exercise lasted 4h and was accompanied by Norwegian F-16 fighter aircraft.
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