Vladimir Putin sent two White Swan Tu-160 supersonic nuclear bomber planes as part of a 12-hour war game mission, it was revealed today, ahead of a NATO summit in neighboring Lithuania.
The two planes flew more than 5,600 miles before landing at an Arctic base after the marathon flight, which involved two refueling sessions by the Il-78 aircraft.
The exact route of the war games flights was not disclosed, but the planes are regularly deployed in the Norwegian Sea north of Britain and the Barents Sea.
Russian officials said long-range strategic attack aircraft from Engels airbase in Saratov in European Russia and Amur in the Far East took part in the drills.
The war games, which are presented as a clear warning to NATO amid the usual rhetoric of the Putin regime on the use of nuclear missiles, involved more than ten Tu-160 and Tu-95MS attack aircraft and warplanes. full support.
Next week’s NATO summit in Vilnius is expected to reaffirm Western support for kyiv and move Ukraine closer to full membership of the defensive alliance in the face of Russian opposition.
Putin sends Tu-160 strategic bombers for a marathon flight in a war game warning to the West
The Tu-160, NATO reporting name Blackjack, is a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing bomber carrying strategic missiles, dating to the Soviet era.
Originally entering service in 1987, it is the world’s largest and heaviest fighter aircraft, and the fastest bomber in use.
A pair of Russian MiG-35 fighter jets are seen coming off the wing of a Tu-95 strategic bomber
Russian bombers perform mid-air refueling
The flight and tactical exercise involved “more than 10 Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Il-78 aircraft,” according to Lt. Gen. Sergey Kobylash, commander of Russia’s long-range aviation.
‘Despite performing combat tasks during the special military operation [war against Ukraine]all planned combat training activities are being carried out in full.
“Flight and tactical exercises of the aviation regiments of the Engels and Amur long-range aviation formations have begun.”
The Tu-160 jets landed at the Arctic Sovetsky airbase near Vorkuta in Russia’s Komi Republic after long flights.
“A pair of Tu-95MS aircraft carrying strategic missiles landed at the Anadyr airfield in the Chukotka Autonomous Area and Tu-160 aircraft carrying strategic missiles landed at the Sovetskiy airfield in the Komi Republic,” Kobylash said.
The Tu-160, NATO reporting name Blackjack, is a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing bomber with strategic missiles dating from the Soviet era.
Originally entering service in 1987, it is the world’s largest and heaviest fighter aircraft, and the fastest bomber in use.
The Tu-95MS aircraft, known as Bears, are the world’s only propeller-driven strategic bombers.
Both types of aircraft have been used to target Ukraine with conventional missiles in Putin’s brutal war.
The flights came as Russia prepares to introduce new models of the Soviet-era White Swans into service.
The first prototype of the modernized Tu-160M ​​​​was delivered seven months ago, and the start of state tests was announced this week.
“The Tu-160 is the most important part of the Russian nuclear triad, so the modernization of combat vehicles and the resumption of production of these strategic bombers is our priority task,” said Sergey Chemezov, Putin’s close friend. , CEO of Rostec State Corporation. .
Putin sends his Tu-95MS strategic bombers on war game warning to the West ahead of next week’s NATO summit.
The Tu-95MS aircraft, known as Bears, are the world’s only propeller-driven strategic bombers.
Russian strategic bomber Tu-85MS ‘Bear’ is shown taking off
A Russian air force pilot is seen monitoring the controls of a Russian strategic bomber.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is rallying support for Ukraine’s bid to join NATO before next week’s summit.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO leaders to take concrete steps towards Ukraine’s membership at next week’s summit, receiving support during a visit to Prague from the Czech president, who endorsed the Kiev’s attempt to join the alliance.
He said his country, engaged in the 17th month of a war against Russian invaders, needed much more than the general declaration of more than 10 years that the door to NATO was simply “open.”
Ukraine is seeking a clear indication from NATO at a July 11-12 summit in Vilnius that it can join the military alliance when the war is over.
Ukraine wants to join as quickly as possible, but NATO members are divided on how quickly that step should be taken. Some member countries are wary of moves that they fear could bring the alliance closer to an active war with Russia.
“We are talking about a clear signal, some concrete things in the direction of an invitation,” Zelensky told a news conference with his Czech counterpart Petr Pavel. ‘We need this motivation. We need honesty in our relationships.
Zelensky said the formulation adopted by the 2008 NATO summit was not enough: that the door of the military alliance “will remain open” and that Ukraine will eventually become a member.
“We need some kind of signal, a clear signal,” he said in response to questions from reporters.
‘That Ukraine will be in the alliance. It’s not that the door is open, this is not enough.
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