Provocation exercises?

24/04/14

A formation consisting of Russian strategic Tu-95MS "Bear" bombers, escorted by two supersonic MiG-31 interceptors, has recently completed exercises over the neutral waters of the North Sea.

This is what they have reported this morning by the Russian defense ministry.

The Russian strategic bombers practice regularly by making flights over neutral waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Black Sea and Pacific Ocean. Exercises that sometimes provoke the reaction of neighboring countries.

The last "scramble" occurred a few weeks ago with Japanese fighters flying to intercept an "unfriendly" formation that was being trained close to the national air space. The Russian Ministry of Defense continues to justify these flights which are carried out "in strict accordance with international standards and which do not violate the borders of other countries".

However, Moscow has refrained from commenting on the incident, still shrouded in mystery, of a Su-24 Fencer who, a few days ago, tried out at 12 low-altitude passages near the destroyer Donald Cook, en route to the Mar Black and in international waters. The official Pentagon version speaks of "repeated provocative close-range and low-altitude passes". The Russians have not commented on the episode.

The "Bears" made a flight of 16 hours on the neutral waters of the North Sea, along the Kola peninsula. The bombers flew for around 12 thousand kilometers. The formation, escorted by a pair of MiG-31, interacted with a Beriev A-50 "Mainstay" early warning aircraft. The Tupolev-95 (NATO Bear name) is a strategic turboprop bomber designed in the 50 years. It could remain in service until 2040. The Tu-95MS or "Bear-H" variant is armed with cruise missiles, with the possibility of embarking on nuclear warheads, X-55 (NATO As-15 Kent). The X-55 have a range of about 3 thousand km.

Franco Iacch