Russian strategic missile carriers Tu-160 made a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Barents, Greenland and Norwegian Seas. This was reported on Tuesday, February 9, by the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry.
"Two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers performed a planned flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Barents, Greenland and Norwegian Seas. The flight duration was about 12 hours, " the defense ministry said.
It is noted that the bombers were accompanied by fighters of the naval aviation of the Northern Fleet.
The press service of the ministry recalled that flights of long-range aviation pilots over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the North Atlantic, the Black and Baltic Seas and the Pacific Ocean are a regular practice. The Defense Ministry stressed that all flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces are carried out in strict accordance with International Rules for the Use of Airspace.
On January 20, two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers performed a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean, the Barents Sea and the White Sea. The flight duration was about 14 hours. During the flight, the Tu-160 crews practiced refueling in the air.
On December 21, it became known that the Russian Defense Ministry plans to begin state tests of the upgraded Tu-160 strategic missile carrier in 2021.