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The US Air Force intercepted and escorted two Russian bombers flying near Alaska as tensions with Moscow mount.
The two Tu-95 Bear-H bombers were “positive” identified Monday while flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to NORAD – a combined defense organization between the United States and Canada.
Two USAF F-16 fighter jets intercepted it before it could enter US or Canadian airspace, but the planes “remained in international airspace.”
NORAD did not view the spotting of the two jets as a “threat, nor is the activity provocative.”
The two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers (stock photo) were ‘positive’ identified Monday while flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
NORAD tracks and positively identifies foreign military aircraft entering the ADIZ. NORAD routinely monitors foreign aircraft movements and guides them where necessary from the ADIZ’, according to the organization.
The mocking comes as tensions mount since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The US has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in aid and continues to impose sanctions on Russia.
Vladimir Putin recently warned of a “global catastrophe” if NATO forces clash directly with Russia, adding that he sees no need to carry out mass attacks on Ukraine “for now”.
The Russian strongman also said the recent military mobilization he has ordered will come to an end, and he has no plans for further conscription once it ends.
He also reiterated the Kremlin’s stance that Russia was willing to hold talks, though he said international mediation would be necessary if Ukraine was willing to participate.
Two USAF F-16 jets (stock photo) intercepted it before it could enter US or Canadian airspace, but the planes ‘remained in international airspace’
He said he saw no need for “mass attacks” on Ukraine at this point, having achieved the intended targets earlier in the past week – but that could change in the future – and stressed that his aim was not to destroy Ukraine. .
“There is no need for mass strikes now. There are other tasks. For now. And then it will be clear,” he said, adding: “We are not setting ourselves the task of destroying Ukraine. No, of course not,” Putin said at the Commonwealth of Independent States Summit.
Throughout the war, fears have grown over the possibility of Moscow launching nuclear strikes, especially as a result of a series of embarrassing setbacks during Putin’s invasion.
It was revealed Friday – shortly before speaking in Astana – that Putin has expanded the number of his strategic nuclear bombers, stationed at an airbase near the Finnish and Norwegian borders, satellite images show.
He went on to say that the “partial mobilization” he announced last month, which the defense secretary said aimed at recruiting 300,000 soldiers, was coming to an end and would be over in two weeks.
“Nothing extra is planned. No proposals have been received from the Department of Defense and I see no additional need in the near future.
‘Now 222,000 of the 300,000 people have been mobilized. All mobilization activities will be completed within approximately two weeks.’ A total of 33,000 of them are already in military units and 16,000 are involved in the military operation in Ukraine, he said.
He said his decision to call up reserve troops to fight in Ukraine, which some Kremlin allies criticized as chaotic, had been vital in preserving the frontline. “The line of contact is 680 miles, so it’s practically impossible to hold it with troops composed only of contracted soldiers, especially as they participate in offensive activities,” Putin claimed.
When asked if he regretted the order to invade his neighbor on February 24, Putin replied, “No.” He acknowledged that the war made us uncomfortable, but said he believed what his troops were doing was right.
“I want to make it clear: what’s happening today is unpleasant to say the least, but we would have gotten the same a little later, just in worse circumstances for us, that’s that,” he said. ‘So we act correctly and on time.’
NORAD did not see the spotting as a ‘threat’ and said the activity was not ‘provocative’
Putin said he “does not see the need” for talks with US President Joe Biden about an end to the war, but suggested he be open to talks with Kiev.
“We have to ask him whether he is willing to have such conversations with me or not. I don’t see the need, to be honest,” said Putin, asking about a possible meeting with Biden on the sidelines of a G20 summit in November. He added that no decision has yet been made on his participation in the Indonesia-organized summit.
“The matter of my journey there is not yet settled. Russia will certainly participate. As for the format, we are still thinking about it,” Putin told reporters after a summit in Kazakhstan.
Biden said earlier this week that he “had no intention” of meeting with Putin, but did not rule out possible talks.
He also attacked Germany for siding with NATO.
“(Germany) must decide what is more important to them: fulfilling alliance obligations, as they see it, or their national interests. In this case, it seems that Germany has mainly placed its obligations on the (NATO) alliance. I believe this is a mistake,” he said.
“German citizens, businesses and their economy are paying for this mistake because it has negative economic consequences for the eurozone as a whole and in Germany. Very few people take his interests into account, otherwise Nord Stream 1 and 2 would not have been undermined.
“But while one site is, as I said, in good condition, a decision has not yet been made and is unlikely to be made. But this is no longer our business, this is our partners’ business.’
Meanwhile, Lukashenko warned Ukraine and the West on Friday not to corner its ally Russia, because Moscow had nuclear weapons for a reason.