Russian Bombers Patrol Over Atlantic Ocean

[Purveyor]

MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers and two Il-78 aerial tankers are carrying out routine patrols over neutral Atlantic waters, a Russian Air Force spokesman said on Wednesday.

Interceptions of Russian combat aircraft by NATO fighters are becoming a common occurrence again, after Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans last August, following an order signed by President Vladimir Putin

"During the flights the crews develop their flying skills in northern latitudes, over unmarked terrain," Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said.

He said the crews also perfect their in-flight refueling techniques, allowing the bombers to remain in the air for more than 24 hours and is considered extremely difficult "especially when the Russian planes are accompanied by NATO interceptors."

"All Russian Air Force flights are performed...in strict accordance with international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters without violating the borders of other states," he also said.

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http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080423/105729737.html

[Selatius]

1. The US never stopped strategic patrols after the Cold War, so Russia restarted theirs as a response.

If you want to find the root cause of this situation, talk to the leaders in Washington. They further aggravated the Russians by wanting to plant a missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland to defend against the "Iranian threat."