Eurasia Press & News
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President of Russia Vladimir Putin that Russian and Chinese strategic bombers successfully coped with the assigned tasks during their joint air patrol over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea in the Asia-Pacific region, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
The defense chief informed Putin about the successful joint air patrol during the president’s meeting with permanent members of Russia’s Security Council on Friday, the Kremlin spokesman said.
The flight lasted over 10 hours, he specified.
“According to the report, a Su-35S aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Force provided fighter support for the strategic bombers. Command and control of the bombers in the air was exercised from an A-50U radar surveillance and control plane,” he said.
At some sections of the route, the strategic missile-carrying bombers were escorted by F-16 and F-15 fighters of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Peskov added.
“The joint patrol was conducted in strict compliance with the norms of international law. There were no violations of the airspace of foreign states,” the Kremlin spokesman stressed.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday that the joint air patrol by two Russian Tu-95MS and two Chinese Hong-6K strategic bombers was not aimed against third countries.
“This measure was carried out as part of the 2021 military cooperation plan and is not aimed against third countries,” the ministry stressed.
The joint air patrol by the Russian and Chinese military planes was conducted to develop and strengthen global strategic stability, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.
“The joint air patrol was carried out to develop Russian-Chinese relations, comprehensive partnership and further raise the level of interaction between the armed forces of the two countries, improve their capabilities for joint operations and also strengthen global strategic stability,” the statement says.
