Russian nuke bombers engage in war games drill ahead of NATO summit

Vladimir Putin sent two supersonic White Swan Tu-160 nuclear bombers as part of a 12-hour war game mission, it was announced today, ahead of a NATO summit in neighboring Lithuania.

The two aircraft flew more than 5,600 miles before landing at an Arctic base after the marathon flight, receiving two refuelings from Il-78 aircraft.

The exact route of the wargaming flights has not been disclosed, but the aircraft regularly operate in the Norwegian Sea north of Britain and the Barents Sea.

Russian officials said long-range strategic aircraft from Engels Air Force Base in Saratov, in European Russia, and Amur in the Far East were involved in the exercises.

The war games, which come as a stark warning to NATO amid the Putin regime’s regular rhetoric about the use of nuclear missiles, involved a total of more than ten Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft and support aircraft. .

Next week’s NATO summit in Vilnius is expected to reaffirm Western support for Kiev and move Ukraine closer to full membership in the defensive alliance, in the teeth of the Russian opposition.

The flight and tactical exercise “involved more than 10 Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Il-78 aircraft,” said Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash, commander of Russia’s long-range aviation.

“Despite performing combat duties during the special military operation [war against Ukraine]all planned combat training activities are fully implemented.

“The flight and tactical exercises of aviation regiments of the English and Amur long-range aviation formations were launched.”

The Tu-160 aircraft landed after the long flights at the Sovetsky Arctic Air Base near Vorkuta – in the Komi Republic of Russia.

“A few strategic missile-carrying Tu-95MS aircraft landed at Anadyr airfield in Chukotka Autonomous Region and strategic missile-carrying Tu-160 aircraft landed at Sovetskiy airfield in Komi Republic,” Kobylash said.

The Tu-160 – NATO reporting name Blackjack – is a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic missile-carrying bomber, dating back to the Soviet era.

It originally entered service in 1987 and is the world’s largest and heaviest fighter aircraft – and the fastest bomber in service.

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 deploy new models of Soviet-era White Swans.

The first prototype of the modernized Tu-160M ​​​​was delivered seven months ago, and the start of state trials 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 alongside Putin friend Sergey Chemezov, general manager of Rostec State Corporation. . .

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO leaders to take concrete steps towards Ukrainian membership at next week’s summit, and on a visit to Prague, he received support from the Czech President, who rejected Kiev’s bid to join. of the alliance.

He said his country, engaged in its 17th month of war against Russian invaders, needed much more than the general declaration of more than 10 years that the door to NATO was merely ‘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 soon as possible, but NATO members are divided about how quickly that step should be taken. Some member states are wary of moves they fear could move the alliance closer to active war with Russia.

“We are talking about a clear signal, some concrete things towards an invitation,” Zelensky said at a press conference alongside his Czech counterpart, Petr Pavel. We need that motivation. We need honesty in our relationships.”

Zelensky said the formulation of a 2008 NATO summit was not enough – that the door of the military alliance “will remain open” and Ukraine would eventually join.

“We need some kind of signal, a clear signal,” he said in response to questions from journalists.

‘That Ukraine is in the alliance. Not that the door is open – this is not enough.’