Two Russian strategic bombers carry out 7-hour flight over Sea of Japan: Moscow

Two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers, accompanied by Su-35 fighter jets, carried out a seven-hour flight over the Sea of Japan, the Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday.

“Two long-range strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS carried out a planned flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan. The flight duration was about 7 hours. Fighter escort was provided by the crews of Su-35S aircraft of the Aerospace Forces,” state news agency Ria cited the defense ministry as saying.

Lieutenant-General Sergei Kobylash, commander of Russia’s Long-Range Aviation, said: “The flight was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.”

Kobylash added that long-range aviation pilots regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black and Baltic Seas, and the Pacific Ocean.

Russia continues to conduct strategic flights by the nuclear-capable bombers as a show of strength to its neighbors in the Far East. The flight comes at a time of high tensions with the West given its ongoing war on Ukraine and aggressive stance towards Ukraine’s Western allies.