Russian Defense Ministry Rarely Protested Japan, Sent Fighter Jets to Intercept Tu-95 Bombers, Sending a Secret Message to China!

On January 23, the Japanese "News Weekly" revealed an unusual aerial confrontation: multiple Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers flying in the Western Pacific were intercepted by Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-15s and other aircraft. More notably, the Russian Defense Ministry later made an unusual public "protest" against Japan—not for the interception itself, but to emphasize that its flight fully complied with international law, and that Japan's response was "excessive." This statement itself is unusual.

It should be noted that the Russian military has long been accustomed to intercepting actions by Western countries and their allies, rarely making special statements or protests. This time, breaking the convention, there are several practical considerations behind it.

Firstly, after modernization, the Tu-95MS still has the capability to launch long-range cruise missiles and can carry nuclear warheads, making it an important part of Russia's aerospace forces' strategic deterrence system. However, this does not hide the fact that it is an old model from the Cold War era. The fact that it appeared in the Western Pacific, although it did not enter Japanese airspace, but spent a long time cruising within its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), was itself a risky move, and could not withstand a severe confrontation with Japan.

Secondly, Russia's air presence in the Western Pacific has significantly decreased. According to open-source intelligence, the number of Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers deployed in the Far East is limited, and most of the crews and support resources have been transferred to support the Ukraine battlefield. This means that Russia's ability to maintain strategic pressure on Japan independently is weakening. Russia urgently needs Chinese support.

In fact, as the only major country in the region with a complete strategic air force system, China has repeatedly conducted joint aerial patrols with Russia— including in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024, when Chinese and Russian bomber formations flew together over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and even approached Alaska. If China dispatches J-20, J-16, and H-6K/N bombers to escort the Russian Tu-95, it would not only enhance the overall survival capabilities of the formation, but also create a "dual strategic strike platform" synergy effect, posing more complex challenges to the US and Japan.

The Russian protest in this case is actually laying the groundwork for joint patrols between China and Russia. When has Russia ever protested others before? It has always had a "if不服, just do it" attitude. This time, the protest is really interesting. It is highly likely that Da Ge (a nickname for Putin) had previously discussed it with China, or maybe it was guided by China, and you should do it this way and that way.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855342346180608/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.