Two strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS VKS of Russia made a planned flight over the waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas. As stated in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the duration of the flight was more than four hours.

“Two strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces completed a planned flight in the airspace over the waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas,” the agency said.

At certain stages of the flight, Russian long-range aircraft accompanied the Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighter jets.

The Russian defense department emphasized that long-range aviation pilots regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Black and Baltic Sea, the Pacific Ocean in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace, without violating the borders of other states.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defense reported on similar Tu-95MS maneuvers on August 12. A planned flight also took place over the waters of the Barents, Norwegian and North Seas, but was longer - more than nine hours.

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Shortly before that, on August 6, the long-range anti-submarine aircraft of the Pacific Fleet Tu-142 (Pacific Fleet) completed a 13-hour flight over the neutral waters of the Pacific Ocean.

“Two long-range anti-submarine aircraft of the Pacific Fleet’s naval aviation Tu-142 completed a planned flight in airspace over the neutral waters of the Pacific Ocean along the northern coast of the Aleutian Islands and the western coast of Alaska and Canada,” the press service of the Eastern Military District said.

Tu-142 aircraft were accompanied by two high-altitude fighter-interceptor MiG-31BM of the Pacific Fleet naval aviation, which flew from the Yelizovo airfield in the Kamchatka Territory. It is reported that fighter pilots met anti-submariners, carried out visual and radio contact and escorted them in the area of ​​responsibility of the Pacific Fleet.

“During a 13-hour non-stop flight, the tankers of the IL-78 Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out air refueling of anti-submarine aircraft,” the BBO press service said.

In July, two strategic bombers Tu-95MS of the Russian Aerospace Forces completed a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Sea of ​​Japan. After that, the Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea reported that a Russian military plane allegedly violated South Korean airspace in the Sea of ​​Japan twice. In response, fighters of the South Korean Air Force were raised.

In turn, the Russian Defense Ministry replied that the Russian strategic missile carriers did not violate the airspace of South Korea, and the F-16 aircraft posed a security threat to the Russian Tu-95MS. The maneuvers of the South Korean side in the Russian Ministry of Defense were called unprofessional.

The Russian Defense Ministry also denied allegations that the South Korean Air Force allegedly fired warning shots.

“There was no“ warning fire ”from South Korean fighters. If Russian pilots felt a threat to security, the answer would not be long in coming, ”the Russian department noted.

In the same month, two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers completed a flight over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. Its duration was more than seven hours.

At certain stages, Russian aircraft were escorted by the Danish Air Force F-16 fighters, the Finnish Air Force F-18 and the Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripen. After the flight, the crews of the Russian Aerospace Forces returned to the airfield.

In April, the IL-38 anti-submarine aircraft of the RF Pacific Fleet naval aviation made a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Sea of ​​Japan. The Russian plane was accompanied by F-16 South Korean Air Force and F-15 fighter aircraft of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

A few days before, two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers flew over the neutral waters of the Barents, Norwegian and North Seas. Air support for long-range aircraft was performed by the crews of MiG-31 fighter interceptors. The flight duration was more than 13 hours.

At certain stages of the route, Russian aircraft were escorted by the F-16 fighters of the Norwegian and Danish air forces.

In mid-March, two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed a flight over the neutral waters of the Black Sea. The crews of long-range bombers covered about 4.5 thousand kilometers and were in the air for more than five hours.

In January, two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers carried out a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean, the Laptev Sea, as well as the Barents and Kara Seas.

Airplanes spent more than 15 hours in the sky and during the flight worked out refueling in the air.