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US strategic bombers stepped up flights near eastern Russia, Shoigu says

Russia’s air defense systems promptly detected US strategic bombers at all times, established surveillance and worked to prevent incident

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/. US Air Force strategic bombers have significantly increased their activity close to the Russian eastern border as the pilots are practicing missile strikes, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.

The flights also threaten China, he said during talks with China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe. There were 22 such flights in 2020 over the Sea of Okhotsk, up from three in 2019, Shoigu said.

‘’In the course of these activities, US bomber crews conduct practice approaches to cruise missile firing points with subsequent mock missile strikes,’’ Shoigu said.

Russia’s air defense systems promptly detected US strategic bombers at all times, established surveillance and worked to prevent incidents, the minister said.

"With this background, coordination between Russia and China is becoming a stabilizing factor in global affairs,’’ Shoigu said.