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Vladimir Putin’s nuclear bombers – nicknamed ‘Bears’ – today flew over north of Britain in the Norwegian Sea.
Footage from the Russian defence ministry shows the aircraft the Tu-95MS during war game drills.
Nato air forces scrambled warplanes to monitor the flights which lasted five hours.
‘The flight duration was more than five hours,’ said the Russian defence ministry.
‘Fighter escort was provided by the crews of Su-35S aircraft of the Aerospace Forces.
‘At certain stages of the route, the strategic missile carriers were accompanied by fighters from foreign countries.’
One of the Russian Tu-95MS nuclear-capable strategic missile carriers (Picture: east2west news)
This is not the first time the Kremlin has enacted such drills, deploying the aircraft.
Billed as a sudden check on Russia’s combat readiness, they come amid ongoing tension with the West.
Putin’s nuclear-capable strategic missile carriers have been used to wreak havoc in Ukraine with conventional munitions.
Despite first flying some 70 years ago, they remain a crucial part of the Kremlin’s nuclear strike force.
The Norwegian Sea is bordered to the south by Britain – the north of Shetland, to the east by Norway, and to the west by Iceland.
‘The flight was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,’ said Lieutenant-General Sergei Kobylash, commander of the Russian long-range aviation.
‘Long-range aviation pilots regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Black and Baltic Seas.’
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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