december
21-09-2007, 12:31 AM
Russian Bear bombers fly along Alaskan, Canadian coastline
20/ 09/ 2007
http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/WORLD/europe/08/22/bomber.patrol/art.bomberpatrol.raf.jpg
MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian strategic Tu-95MS Bear-H bombers carried out a flight along the coasts of Alaska and Canada during recent command and post exercises, the Russian Air Force announced Thursday.
"Each Tu-95 plane took about 30 tons of fuel on board, for the first time since the Soviet era. Their average flight duration was about 17 hours, during which the planes covered a distance of over 13,000 km [8,000 miles]," said Alexander Drobyshevsky, an aide to the Air Force commander.
According to the Air Force, the bombers were refueled in the air by Il-78 Midas tankers.
Drobyshevsky also said another pair of Tu-95MS flew around Greenland into the eastern Atlantic, a flight that took about 12 hours.
President Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of strategic patrol flights on August 17, saying that although the country halted long-distance strategic flights to remote regions in 1992, other nations had continued the practice, compromising Russian national security.
The latest flights were in line with an air patrolling plan, and the planes were accompanied by NATO fighters.
According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 bombers, 40 Tu-95MS bombers, and 14 Tu-160 planes.
Source -
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070920/80150569.html
Putin Warns - Russia Must Respond To Bush Nuclear Provocation On Its Borders
http://img.rian.ru/images/5512/46/55124658.jpg
On the eve of his visit to Germany for the G-8 Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted an exclusive interview to a group of leading press from the 7 non-Russian summit nations, including the London Times, the Corriere della Sera (Italy) and Germany'sSpiegel weekly.
In regard to the U.S. deployment of missile defense systems on the Russian border, Putin said (excerpts taken from the Spiegel interview): "Once the new missile system is established, it will function in an automatic mode, linked to the entire nuclear potential of the USA. For the first time in history, components of the American nuclear system will be established on the European continent * that changes the whole configuration of international security. We are being told that this is to protect against Iranian missiles.
But these do not exist: Iran does not have missiles with a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers. A wall of protection is being built here against something that does not exist. There is no reason for such a missile defense system in Europe. We, however, are forced to respond to that."
Putin said he still hopes that the USA will find a way back to a dialogue based on reason, but "if that fails, we have to react the missile defense system only creates the illusion of protection * but in theory, the likelihood of unleashing a nuclear conflict will even increase.
The global strategic balance is disrupted. To restore it, we have to create a system to outflank these American waepons." Putin added his suspicion that the missile issue is pushed by the USA with the intent to provoke a Russian counterreaction and "prevent further cooperation between Russia and Europe." The Times reports that Putin said that "we will need to establish such systems which would be able to penetrate the (US) missile defense systems. What kind of means will be used to hit the targets that our military believe are potential threats - ballistic missiles, or cruise missiles, or some kind of new weapons system?"
http://rense.com/general76/putind.htm
Putin says missile tests were response to NATO's actions
31/ 05/ 2007
MOSCOW, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president said Thursday his country's recent tests of new ballistic missiles and possible withdrawal from an arms control treaty are a direct response to harsh, unreasonable actions by NATO countries.
Speaking at a news conference after meeting with the Greek president in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin said Russia did not initiate the new wave of an international arms race, and condemned the planned deployment of a U.S. missile shield in Europe, and the development of new military bases on the continent.
"There is no need to fear Russia's actions, they are not aggressive... They are aimed at maintaining balance in the world order, and are extremely important for maintaining peace and security globally," Putin said.
Putin also stressed that the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002, paving the way to the deployment of its missile shield in Europe.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070531/66418953.html
20/ 09/ 2007
http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/WORLD/europe/08/22/bomber.patrol/art.bomberpatrol.raf.jpg
MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian strategic Tu-95MS Bear-H bombers carried out a flight along the coasts of Alaska and Canada during recent command and post exercises, the Russian Air Force announced Thursday.
"Each Tu-95 plane took about 30 tons of fuel on board, for the first time since the Soviet era. Their average flight duration was about 17 hours, during which the planes covered a distance of over 13,000 km [8,000 miles]," said Alexander Drobyshevsky, an aide to the Air Force commander.
According to the Air Force, the bombers were refueled in the air by Il-78 Midas tankers.
Drobyshevsky also said another pair of Tu-95MS flew around Greenland into the eastern Atlantic, a flight that took about 12 hours.
President Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of strategic patrol flights on August 17, saying that although the country halted long-distance strategic flights to remote regions in 1992, other nations had continued the practice, compromising Russian national security.
The latest flights were in line with an air patrolling plan, and the planes were accompanied by NATO fighters.
According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 bombers, 40 Tu-95MS bombers, and 14 Tu-160 planes.
Source -
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070920/80150569.html
Putin Warns - Russia Must Respond To Bush Nuclear Provocation On Its Borders
http://img.rian.ru/images/5512/46/55124658.jpg
On the eve of his visit to Germany for the G-8 Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted an exclusive interview to a group of leading press from the 7 non-Russian summit nations, including the London Times, the Corriere della Sera (Italy) and Germany'sSpiegel weekly.
In regard to the U.S. deployment of missile defense systems on the Russian border, Putin said (excerpts taken from the Spiegel interview): "Once the new missile system is established, it will function in an automatic mode, linked to the entire nuclear potential of the USA. For the first time in history, components of the American nuclear system will be established on the European continent * that changes the whole configuration of international security. We are being told that this is to protect against Iranian missiles.
But these do not exist: Iran does not have missiles with a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers. A wall of protection is being built here against something that does not exist. There is no reason for such a missile defense system in Europe. We, however, are forced to respond to that."
Putin said he still hopes that the USA will find a way back to a dialogue based on reason, but "if that fails, we have to react the missile defense system only creates the illusion of protection * but in theory, the likelihood of unleashing a nuclear conflict will even increase.
The global strategic balance is disrupted. To restore it, we have to create a system to outflank these American waepons." Putin added his suspicion that the missile issue is pushed by the USA with the intent to provoke a Russian counterreaction and "prevent further cooperation between Russia and Europe." The Times reports that Putin said that "we will need to establish such systems which would be able to penetrate the (US) missile defense systems. What kind of means will be used to hit the targets that our military believe are potential threats - ballistic missiles, or cruise missiles, or some kind of new weapons system?"
http://rense.com/general76/putind.htm
Putin says missile tests were response to NATO's actions
31/ 05/ 2007
MOSCOW, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president said Thursday his country's recent tests of new ballistic missiles and possible withdrawal from an arms control treaty are a direct response to harsh, unreasonable actions by NATO countries.
Speaking at a news conference after meeting with the Greek president in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin said Russia did not initiate the new wave of an international arms race, and condemned the planned deployment of a U.S. missile shield in Europe, and the development of new military bases on the continent.
"There is no need to fear Russia's actions, they are not aggressive... They are aimed at maintaining balance in the world order, and are extremely important for maintaining peace and security globally," Putin said.
Putin also stressed that the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002, paving the way to the deployment of its missile shield in Europe.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070531/66418953.html