Russian strategic bombers of the Tu-160 type, capable of carrying guided missiles, completed a 16-hour flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas. The mission also included mid-air refueling practice. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced this on the Telegram platform on Tuesday
The bombers were accompanied by MiG-31 fighters during the flight, which the ministry described as routine. In certain sections of their flight, foreign fighter jets also monitored them, but the Russian Ministry did not specify which countries they came from. In the north, Russia borders with NATO member states – Norway and Finland.
At the same time, the ministry said that its planes regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the North Atlantic, the Pacific Ocean, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. “All flights are carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,” added the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers, as well as Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, are part of the so-called of Russia’s nuclear triad, but they can also be used for attacks with conventional missiles and bombs, including cruise missiles.
