On Monday, two U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers were intercepted by Russian SU-27 fighter jets near Kaliningrad, Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave, according to a U.S. official. The bombers were conducting training exercises in the Baltic Sea region alongside their NATO ally, Finland, which shares an 833-mile (1,340 km) border with Russia. The training took place amid rising tensions related to Western support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
The interception of U.S. bombers by Russian fighter jets on Monday occurred just days after Russia launched a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine last Thursday. This missile strike followed a decision by the U.S. and the UK to allow Kyiv to use advanced Western weapons to target Russian territory. According to a U.S. official who spoke to Reuters, the U.S. bombers maintained their pre-planned flight path during the intercept, which was described as a safe and professional maneuver by the Russian SU-27 jets.
On Monday, the U.S. B-52 bombers also conducted a training exercise alongside Finnish F/A-18Cs in Finnish airspace. The Finnish Air Force confirmed in a statement to Reuters that its fighter jets and the U.S. bombers had completed a training mission in Finnish airspace, aimed at strengthening Finland's defense capabilities. While the Finnish Air Force did not comment on the Russian interception, it noted that the drill included "simulated air-to-ground drops [to] demonstrate our ability to work together in fire-use missions." The statement added that the cooperation also bolstered NATO's collective defense and deterrence in the far north.
In a significant shift from its long-standing policy of military neutrality, Finland joined NATO in 2023, driven by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Having repelled a Soviet invasion attempt during World War II, Finland has become one of Europe's most steadfast supporters of Ukraine in its efforts to resist Russian aggression.
(Source: Reuters)
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