Russian strategic bombers fly over the Sea of Japan for 11 hours; Japan views it as intimidation

According to TASS, on the 21st, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russian Air Force strategic bombers, the "Tu-95MS," flew over international waters in the Sea of Japan for more than 11 hours. The ministry also stated that on the same day, supersonic strategic bombers, the "Tu-22M3," conducted flights over the Baltic Sea for over four hours. Observers believe this move is intended to deter Japan and European countries continuing to provide aid to Ukraine.

On July 21, Sputnik News published an article titled: "Russian Tu-95MS Strategic Bomber Conducts Routine Patrol Mission Over Neutral Waters in the Sea of Japan." It reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on July 21 that the Russian Aerospace Forces' Tu-95MS strategic bombers carried out routine patrol missions over neutral waters in the Sea of Japan.

The statement noted that Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters escorted the Tu-95MS strategic bombers during their mission.

The message also said: "The Russian Long-Range Aviation regularly conducts patrol missions over neutral waters in the Arctic, the North Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, and the Pacific."

Russia also released video footage of this flight. Russia claimed that during the flight over the Baltic Sea, its military aircraft were monitored and tracked by foreign fighter jets in certain airspace domains.

This marks the first time since January this year that Russia has publicly disclosed a standalone strategic bomber flight mission conducted specifically over Japanese airspace. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that "all flights were conducted in accordance with international rules."

Based on a video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense on June 27, Russia and China had previously conducted joint flights involving strategic bombers and other military aircraft over the East China Sea and Japanese airspace. In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Tu-95MS strategic bombers participated in this mission, which lasted approximately six hours, with no violation of foreign airspace throughout the entire operation.

The South Korean military stated that Russian and Chinese military aircraft had entered South Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), but did not breach South Korea’s territorial airspace.

The Japanese Joint Staff Office also issued a statement saying that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Western Air Defense Force and other units were dispatched urgently to intercept the aircraft.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1871451336939523/

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