Russian Aerospace Forces fighters intercepted a B-52N strategic bomber of the US Air Force over the Baltic Sea. This was reported by the National Defense Management Center.

"To identify the air target and prevent violation of the state border of the Russian Federation, two Su-27 fighters from the air defense forces of the Baltic Fleet were taken into the air," RIA Novosti quotes the center's message.

According to the Russian military, the aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces approached the American aircraft, identified as B-52H, at a safe distance. After the American bomber changed its flight trajectory, moving away from the Russian border, the Su-27 pilots returned to the home airfield. At the same time, the American bomber did not violate the border of the Russian Federation.

  • Fighter Su-27
  • © Vitaly V. Kuzmin

The report of the National Center for Defense Management notes that the crews of the Su-27 acted in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.

Note that this is far from the only such incident in recent years. So, in mid-June, the air defense forces of the Western Military District on duty noticed B-52H strategic bombers of the US Air Force, which were moving with a group of reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic. Then Russian Su-27 fighters intercepted NATO planes, and later the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video of this interception.

Winged threat

The North Atlantic Alliance and the United States began to increase their military activity near the Russian borders after the events of 2014 in Ukraine. According to representatives of the alliance, this course is aimed ostensibly to protect regional participants and partners of NATO from "Russian aggression." This, in particular, was stated by Barack Obama.

The elements of this strategy were the increase in military aviation sorties in the Baltic Sea region, as well as the increase in the intensity and frequency of military exercises in the region.

  • Commander of the Baltic Fleet Admiral Alexander Nosatov
  • RIA News
  • © Mikhail Golenkov

As the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Admiral Alexander Nosatov, said earlier in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda, in the period from 2018 to 2019 alone, the number of foreign military aircraft flights to Russian land and sea borders doubled - to 400 cases in 2019. Reconnaissance activity has also noticeably increased: if in 2018 foreign reconnaissance aircraft approached the Russian borders 578 times, then in 2019 - about 800 times.

The number of military maneuvers conducted in 2019 near the borders of Russia reached 300, the admiral added. 

It even came up to incidents with the board of the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. In August last year, a NATO F-18 fighter approached the aircraft in which the head of the Russian Defense Ministry was. The Su-27 fighters accompanying the government board drove the NATO plane back. 

Experts pay special attention to the frequent flights of NATO strategic aviation over the Baltic Sea.

“The approach of such aircraft to the Russian border leads to the fact that Russia is constantly in the mode of preventing possible provocations. It should be noted that the waters of the Baltic and Black Seas are strategically important areas. This explains the growth of such activity on the part of NATO, "Andrei Koshkin, a member of the Association of Military Political Scientists, said in an interview with RT.

In turn, the editor-in-chief of the Arms Export magazine, Andrei Frolov, emphasized in a commentary to RT that the appearance of strategic bombers near the borders is a serious challenge and threat for any country.

Risky activity

In parallel, the Pentagon is deploying strategic bombers to European bases. So, in March 2020, the European Command of the US Armed Forces announced the transfer of a group of B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bombers to Europe. In a press release from the European Command, it was clarified that the aircraft would take part in the maneuvers, but the number of the airlifted winged vehicles was not named. 

In addition, US Air Force B-1B Lancer strategic bombers took part in NATO's Spring Storm exercise in early May. The training bombings took place in Estonian airspace. As Estonian Defense Minister Jüri Luika said at the time, the appearance of US strategic aviation over the republic suggests that the American side is serious about protecting the Baltic countries.

  • NATO Representative Oana Lungescu
  • AFP
  • © GEORGES GOBET

Commenting on the participation of US strategic bombers in exercises on the Baltic territory, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Jabarov noted that in this way Estonia is turning itself into a target for a possible retaliatory strike from Russia.

At the end of May, American B-1B Lancer bombers appeared over the neutral waters of the Black and Baltic Seas. The Su-27P and Su-30SM fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces were raised to escort US Air Force aircraft, the Defense Ministry said. According to the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Yuri Shvytkin, such actions by the American side create tension in the Crimea, Sevastopol and Kaliningrad regions.

“To our great regret, various types of aircraft are patrolling, first of all, reconnaissance type near our borders: the Baltic and the Black Sea, these are, respectively, Kaliningrad, Crimea and Sevastopol. And, of course, this leads to the creation of tension in the region, ”the RIA Novosti news agency quoted the deputy as saying.

On August 22, NATO announced the arrival of six US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. As NATO spokesman Oana Lungescu said at the time, the deployment is "an important sign of the United States' continued commitment to NATO and European security."

According to Andrei Koshkin, the words about support for regional allies are just a cover for the true intentions of the Pentagon and NATO.

“US strategic bombers during flights carry out combat training missions, the ultimate goal of which is clear: to study the possibilities to strike, if necessary, on strategically important areas. This kind of flaunting of strategic aviation entails quite destabilizing consequences that can lead to more tragic events, ”the expert said.

According to Andrei Frolov, the Pentagon is stepping up the activity of its strategic aviation in Europe for a number of reasons. First, the American side is demonstrating its determination to its Eastern European NATO allies.

“At the same time, they signal to Russia that they can reach its territories. Flights also provide an opportunity for aircraft crews to get acquainted with the Baltic Sea region. In addition, various military tasks are being practiced, including mining trade routes and fairways. But the main risk in these conditions is the emergence of an unforeseen situation and an increase in the likelihood that one of the parties at a certain moment may assess such activity in its own way, ”the expert concluded.