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The Russian Defence Ministry released a video on Friday showing two long-range Tu-22M3 bomber aircraft performing what was described as a “planned flight” in the airspace over neutral waters in the Baltic Sea.
“Escort was provided by crews of Su-35 and Su-30 fighter aircraft of the Aerospace Forces. The flight duration was about five hours. At certain stages of the route, long-range bombers were accompanied by fighter jets from foreign countries”, said the defence ministry in a statement.
Moscow stressed that all flights of aircraft of Russia’s Air Forces are carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.
It explained that it conducts regular flights over neutral waters, including the Arctic Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Baltic and the Black Seas.
It comes just one day after Finnish intelligence warned that Russia may continue to pose a risk to European systems, as its findings revealed that Moscow could potentially be planning further attacks on undersea critical infrastructure in the Baltic.
The Baltic Sea has been on high alert after a string of attacks targeting power, communication lines and oil pipelines since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The most recent occurred on New Year’s Eve after Finland intercepted a Russian vessel en route to Israel, on suspicion of sabotaging underwater communications lines.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied accusations of such attacks in the Baltic. Extensive European investigation have so far failed to produce a ‘smoking gun’ that links Moscow with the sabotage incidents.
Finland’s intelligence report also indicated that there is no immediate military threat to Helsinki, asserting that Russia is very much tied up and heavily engaged in its war on Ukraine, and no evidence points to an imminent threat elsewhere.
It did however also caution that the security outlook could drastically change in coming months and years, if Russia succeeds in rebuilding or expanding its armed forces.
Video editor • Amandine Hess
Additional sources • EBU