Jakarta –
Two strategic bombers Russia fly over the Sea Japan. The plane maneuvered for more than seven hours when Japanese Prime Minister (PM), Fumio Kishida made an unannounced visit to Ukraine.
Reported by Reuters news agency, Wednesday (22/3/2023), the Tupolev Tu-95MS aircraft is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Moscow regularly flies it over international waters in the Arctic, North Atlantic and Pacific as a show of strength.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strategic bombers carried out “planned flights”, escorted by fighters. It was carried out in strict compliance with international law and in neutral waters, said the Russian Defense Ministry.
Earlier in February, North American air defense forces were dispatched to intercept several Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets as they flew in international airspace near Alaska.
Japan, which has had its own territorial dispute with Moscow over islands in the north Pacific since the end of World War Two, is the United States’ main Asian ally and has joined Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Japanese PM Backs Zelensky
The flight of the Russian bombers came as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine to show solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the war against Russia.
Kishida has previously said a visit to Kiev is “under consideration” although security and logistical challenges are reported to be the main hurdles.
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(fas/fas)
