By Smartencyclopedia & Agencies
Moscow (AP) — Tensions have escalated in Europe after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the deployment of four nuclear-capable bombers over NATO’s borders, sparking fears of a potential World War III. The Russian military confirmed that two Tu-95MS strategic bombers were dispatched over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, while another two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers flew over the Baltic Sea, all proximate to multiple NATO-member countries.
The Tu-95MS bombers, large Cold War-era aircraft originally designed for delivering nuclear payloads, are notorious for being responsible for dropping the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear device ever detonated. The deployment of these bombers over sensitive international waters has raised alarms within the Western military alliance, particularly because both the Barents and Norwegian Seas are bordered by NATO members.
The Baltic Sea, where the Tu-22M3 bombers were flown, has recently gained the nickname “NATO lake” following the accession of Finland and Sweden to the alliance, further heightening concerns about the presence of Russian strategic bombers in the region. These bombers, also equipped with nuclear capabilities, are considered a significant threat due to the proximity of numerous NATO countries along the Baltic coastline.
Despite these concerns, Russia’s military representatives insisted that the bomber flights were strictly for training purposes. According to Moscow, the Tu-95MS units were engaged in routine exercises, while the Tu-22M3s were performing escort duties. The Russian defense ministry emphasized that the four-hour operation was conducted in full compliance with international airspace regulations.
However, the operation still caught Western military officials by surprise. The Russian military reported encountering “foreign fighter aircraft” during the exercise but did not provide further details on these encounters. Germany’s Luftwaffe later confirmed on social media that its Eurofighter Typhoons had been scrambled from Latvia to intercept the Russian planes, which were then “handed over” to on-duty Swedish squadrons. The Luftwaffe’s post on X (formerly known as Twitter) read: “The Eurofighter VAPB in Germany were alerted today by the NATO CAOC Uedem to identify a group of aircraft consisting of two TU-22 BACKFIRE and several SU FLANKER. The armed aircraft were then ‘handed over’ to the alert squadron.”
The deployment of these nuclear-capable bombers comes against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, where Tu-22M3 bombers have been used extensively. In April, Ukraine claimed to have shot down one of these bombers over its territory, although Russian officials later stated the plane crashed due to a technical malfunction as it returned to base.
A recent Military Balance report from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that Russia’s air force currently has 57 Tu-22M3 bombers in its arsenal, underscoring the significant firepower still available to Moscow. The latest bomber deployments have only deepened concerns about Russia’s military intentions, especially in regions so close to NATO’s borders.