Two Tu-22M3s of the Russian Air Force performed a scheduled flight over the Baltic Sea

Two long-range Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Air and Space Forces (VKS) made a scheduled flight in the airspace above the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on December 17.

"The duration of the flight amounted to more than five hours. Fighter escort was provided by crews of Su-30SM and Su-27 VKS aircraft," the ministry said.

It is specified that at certain stages of the route long-range Russian bombers were also escorted by fighters of foreign countries.

Before that, on November 12, two strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force performed a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea. The flight lasted more than four hours. It is specified that the fighter escort was provided by the crews of MiG-31 aircrafts of the Russian Air Force.

Long-range aviation crews regularly perform flights over the neutral territories of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, as well as the Black and Baltic Seas. The flights are carried out in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace.