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Russia’s Tupolev-160, Sukhoi-27SM planes conduct training over Black Sea

The training proceeded against NATO’s naval exercise Sea Shield - 2019

Tupolev-160 strategic bomber Marina Lystseva/TASS

Tupolev-160 strategic bomber

© Marina Lystseva/TASS

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. Russia’s strategic bombers Tupolev-160 have carried out training flights over the Black Sea in cooperation with Sukhoi-27SM fighters from a base in Crimea against the backdrop of NATO’s Sea Shield-2019 exercise, the press service of the Southern Military District said.

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"Fighter jets of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army of the Southern Military District escorted strategic bombers Tupolev-160 and practiced interception of air targets," the press service said. The Black Sea Fleet’s wing of Sukhoi-27SM naval jets operated from an airdrome in Crimea.

"The training proceeded against NATO’s naval exercise Sea Shield - 2019, which provided a good background for the Black Sea Fleet and the Air Force and Air Defense units to practice combat tasks in real conditions," the press service said.

The pilots of Sukhoi-27SM planes were given the coordinates of Tupolev-160 bombers and hypothetical air targets approaching the bombers. Each pair of fighters escorted the bombers and intercepted the hypothetical enemy.

NATO’s Sea Shield - 2019 exercise is being held in the Black Sea on April 9-13. Naval ships and aircraft from the United States, Bulgaria, Greece, Canada, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkey in cooperation with representatives from Georgian and Ukrainian forces are taking part.

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