SARATOV, January 27. /TASS/. Young pilots flew Tupolev Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers during training flights in the Saratov Region in Russia’s south, the Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

The training flights "involved young pilots, graduates of 2018-2019, who performed the assignments of aircraft assistant commanders and navigators," the ministry said.

The drills involved up to 10 long-range aircraft. The flight assignments lasted more than 8 hours. Over this time, the crews covered a distance of over 6,000 kilometers. The flight personnel practiced piloting techniques, aerial navigation and the procedure of operations in emergencies, the ministry informed.