NATO says In the past two days Russian jets, bombers circle Europe in unusual incidents

[New]

MOSCOW — NATO said Wednesday that it had intercepted a large number of Russian aircraft flying close to European airspace in the past two days, in an “unusual” series of incidents that brought Russian bombers as far afield as Portugal.

The aircraft — at least 19 in all — offered reminders of Russian air power at a time of the worst relations between the West and Russia since the Cold War. Russian military aircraft have significantly increased their activity in Europe since the conflict in Ukraine began earlier this year, with NATO scrambling to intercept aircraft more than 100 times in 2014. But a NATO official said the scale of the latest incidents was the most provocative this year.

Over the Atlantic Ocean and the North, Black and Baltic seas, Russian bombers, fighter jets and tanker aircraft were detected flying in international airspace, NATO said. There were no incursions into national airspace, a violation of sovereignty that would have significantly amplified the seriousness of the four incidents, three of which took place on Wednesday.

“We’re raising it as an unusual level of activity,” said Lt. Col. Jay Janzen, a spokesman for NATO’s military command in Mons, Belgium. “The flights we’ve seen in the last 24 hours, the size of those flights and some of the flight plans are definitely unusual.”

U.S. officials regard the flights as a show of force by the Putin government. “It’s concerning because it’s moving in the wrong direction,” said one U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the air activity publicly. “It’s not helping to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine. It’s not helping to improve relations between NATO and Russia. It’s not helping anybody.”

MiG-31 fighter jets are not commonly seen close to Europe but some were intercepted along with other aircraft above the Baltic Sea in two separate incidents on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

NATO says Russian jets, bombers circle Europe in unusual incidents - The Washington Post

 

[C130]

Russia is just acting out. The sanctions and $80.00 barrel of oil must be having an effect.

 

[New]

Russia is just acting out. The sanctions and $80.00 barrel of oil must be having an effect

What do you believe it's gonna happen? is this an act of provocation, or just some antics for Russian domestic consumption?

 

[C130]

What do you believe it's gonna happen? is this an act of provocation, or just some antics for Russian domestic consumption?

they are just doing what they did during the cold war and it'll yield the same results nothing. they'll send their bombers &fighters aircraft and we'll intercept them.

worse case is a civilian aircraft getting shot down by accident.

 

[vostok]

Command consistently performing the task - improvement of professional skill of pilots. If in times of Yeltsin The Drunkard average monthly flight of pilots was 20-40 hours, now it is approximately 120-150 hours.

 

[Superboy]

worse case is a civilian aircraft getting shot down by accident.

I hope that wasn't a Freudian slip. It certainly ain't funny.

 

[FaujHistorian]

MOSCOW — NATO said Wednesday that it had intercepted a large number of Russian aircraft flying close to European airspace in the past two days, in an “unusual” series of incidents that brought Russian bombers as far afield as Portugal.

The aircraft — at least 19 in all — offered reminders of Russian air power at a time of the worst relations between the West and Russia since the Cold War. Russian military aircraft have significantly increased their activity in Europe since the conflict in Ukraine began earlier this year, with NATO scrambling to intercept aircraft more than 100 times in 2014. But a NATO official said the scale of the latest incidents was the most provocative this year.

Over the Atlantic Ocean and the North, Black and Baltic seas, Russian bombers, fighter jets and tanker aircraft were detected flying in international airspace, NATO said. There were no incursions into national airspace, a violation of sovereignty that would have significantly amplified the seriousness of the four incidents, three of which took place on Wednesday.

“We’re raising it as an unusual level of activity,” said Lt. Col. Jay Janzen, a spokesman for NATO’s military command in Mons, Belgium. “The flights we’ve seen in the last 24 hours, the size of those flights and some of the flight plans are definitely unusual.”

U.S. officials regard the flights as a show of force by the Putin government. “It’s concerning because it’s moving in the wrong direction,” said one U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the air activity publicly. “It’s not helping to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine. It’s not helping to improve relations between NATO and Russia. It’s not helping anybody.”

MiG-31 fighter jets are not commonly seen close to Europe but some were intercepted along with other aircraft above the Baltic Sea in two separate incidents on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

NATO says Russian jets, bombers circle Europe in unusual incidents - The Washington Post

They are looking for a place to send Putin for cancer treatment.

 

[New]

Command consistently performing the task - improvement of professional skill of pilots. If in times of Yeltsin The Drunkard average monthly flight of pilots was 20-40 hours, now it is approximately 120-150 hours.

Man, that's not just an expansion of the average monthly flight, it's definitely a show of the muscles, could you clarify what might the scopes be?

 

[vostok]

Man, that's not just an expansion of the average monthly flight, it's definitely a show of the muscles, could you clarify what might the scopes be?

This is return of normal global aviation operations. Probably, the West lost the habit of thinking that someone else exept US has such a potential?
And in general it may be a warning to the West not to do anything stupid before the election in New Russia on November 2nd.

 

[xenon54 out]

This is return of normal global aviation operations. Probably, the West lost the habit of thinking that someone else exept US has such a potential?
And in general it may be a warning to the West not to do anything stupid before the election in New Russia on November 2nd.

Nice, violating foreign airspace while shooting everyone down when the same is done.

 

[flamer84]

They're coming.Our defence strategy is to leave thousands of track suits in their path to slow them down.

 

[vostok]

Nice, violating foreign airspace while shooting everyone down when the same is done.

I do not see in the article words about "violation foreign space". It said "close to space", but in international airspace.

 

[BestUsernameEver]

They're coming.Our defence strategy is to leave thousands of track suits in their path to slow them down.

Correct.

Furthermore we will install giant loudspeakers blasting Hard Bass music from a safe distance which will then send the Russian invaders into a state of ASDM (acute stationary dancing mania) hence stopping the Russian advance dead in it's tracks.

Case in point:

 

[xenon54 out]

I did not see in the article words about "violation foreign space". It said "close to space", but in international airspace.

Who knows they probably would if they wasnt intercepted.

 

[vostok]

Who knows they probably would if they wasnt intercepted.

???