Russia shows off nuclear bombers on a 12-hour flight over the Bering and Okhotsk seas

Both NATO and Russia are conducting (separately) nuclear deterrent exercises this week. Both military operations were planned in advance, but their coincidence in time has only increase tensionitself triggered by the war in Ukraine.

this same Tuesday, two Russian strategic bombers Tu-95MS they made a flight over 12 hours on the Pacific Ocean, the sea of Bering and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. It is, as explained by the country’s Ministry of Defense, “a scheduled flight over neutral waters”, which means that, a priorithese nuclear-capable fighter aircraft have not violated the rules of international airspace.

[Cazas con doble capacidad y bombas B61 de 340 TNT: las maniobras nucleares que prepara la OTAN]

The exact flight path is unknown, but if the fighters have flown over the Bering and Okhotsk seas, it means they have passed close to Japan and the United States. These aircraft were escorted by MiG-31 fighter jets and refueled while airborne. The operation has been carried out by Russian pilots who periodically carry out long flights over the Black and Baltic seas and the Arctic and North Atlantic seas, as specified by the Russian Ministry of Defense in a statement.

The Kremlin has not released further details about its military exercises, but US officials hope these exercises include the test launch of ballistic missilesaccording to the agency Reuters.

Last week, the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenbergassured that they were watching Russia’s nuclear exercises up close. Especially after Vladimir Putin warned that he would use all the means at his disposal (including atomic weapons) to defend the “territorial integrity” of the country after the illegal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces.

Low risk”

Despite the threats, Stoltenberg said Tuesday during his speech at an international policy forum in Berlin that the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons against Ukraine is “very low“. He has recalled, however, that one must remain “vigilant”, since the The potential impact of an atomic attack is so great that the threat should be taken “seriously”.

[La OTAN no se arruga, hará maniobras nucleares y apoyará a Ucrania “el tiempo que haga falta”]

In this line, the Pentagon spokesman, Pat Ryder, has indicated that there have been no signs that Moscow has adopted the decision to use atomic weapons. Despite this, the United States is “fully prepared” before a possible nuclear attack, as explained during a press conference at the Department of Defense.

Likewise, Ryder has assured that the US remains vigilant 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the face of Putin’s threats, which he considers “reckless“. “It is irresponsible, above all, taking into account the security situation in the region, in the world, everywhere. It is something that we will continue to keep an eye on,” said the spokesman in statements collected by the agency Eph.