Russian President Vladimir Putin has fueled concerns about a potential World War III with the recent deployment of four nuclear-capable bombers overseas adjacent to NATO countries.
The Russian military has confirmed the deployment of two Tu-95MS strategic bombers over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, which border several states of the alliance. These Cold War-era bombers, designed originally for nuclear missions, include one that was used to drop the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear device ever detonated.
Additionally, two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, also capable of carrying nuclear weapons, were dispatched over the Baltic Sea. This region, now frequently referred to as "NATO Lake" following the recent accession of Finland and Sweden, is surrounded by NATO members, making the maneuver particularly provocative. (Related: Russia sends powerful vaunted missile systems to Iran for Middle East war.)
Russia's military officials have described the flights as training exercises and were conducted in strict compliance with international airspace regulations. The Tu-95MS bombers conducted their operations over four hours, while the Tu-22M3 bombers were escorted during their mission.
The Barents Sea is crucial for the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet, facilitating operations into the North Atlantic Ocean. The Norwegian Sea lies to the southwest, bordered by Iceland to the west and the Scandinavian Peninsula to the east. The Baltic Sea, now dominated by NATO members following Finland and Sweden's accession, is encircled by alliance nations, except Russia's Kaliningrad enclave.
The Russian Ministry reported that the Tu-95MS flight lasted over four hours and was escorted by MiG-31 fighter jets, while the Tu-22M3 mission over the Baltic Sea lasted five hours, supported by Su-30SM and Su-27 fighter jets. Both bomber groups encountered "foreign fighter aircraft," though the ministry did not provide further details.
The German air force confirmed the presence of Russian bombers over the Baltic Sea, stating that the Luftwaffe scrambled Eurofighter Typhoons from Latvia to intercept the "armed" Russian aircraft. Swedish fighter jets subsequently took over the NATO air policing mission.
Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists noted that one of the Tu-22M3 bombers appeared to be carrying a Kh-22 or Kh-32 cruise missile, a dual-capable precision weapon previously used in strikes against Ukraine.
Recently, NATO's air policing efforts saw the deployment of British F-35B stealth fighters to Iceland, marking the first time these advanced jets joined such missions. Additionally, U.S. Air Force F-35A fighters based in Britain conducted a "find, fix, track, and target" exercise over Poland on Tuesday, demonstrating enhanced NATO interoperability and a commitment to global security.
Russian foreign ministry calls for condemnation of Kyiv's planned attack on Kursk nuclear plant
Russia has been made aware that Kyiv is planning an attack on a Russian nuclear facility in the Kursk region and its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova is calling the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to condemn this imminent action.
"According to the incoming information, the Kyiv Regime has started the preparation of an attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant [NPP]," Zakharova said. The NPP, which lies just around 25 miles west of the city, is a major electricity producer for Russia. She did not, however, provide what the incoming information indicated.
"We call on the international organizations, the United Nations and the IAEA to immediately state their condemnation of the provocative actions prepared by the Kyiv regime and to prevent a violation of nuclear and physical security of the Kursk NPP, which may result in a large-scale man-made disaster in Europe," Zakharova added
"The entire international community must realize the danger, posed by the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime for the entire European continent," Zakharova said.
On the same day, the IAEA also released a press statement on the "deteriorating" nuclear safety situation at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) after a drone strike hit a nearby road. Europe's largest nuclear plant has been under Russian control since early March 2022, just days after Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. A fire was reported at the plant last week, with Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of starting the blaze.
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Watch the video below which shows the fire at Ukraine's ZNPP.
This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com.
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