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Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers perform planned flight over Sea of Japan

Su-35S aircraft of the Aerospace Forces provided fighter support for the flight

MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. Two Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers performed a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan in strict compliance with international rules, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"Two Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers of long-range aviation performed a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan. The flight lasted about seven hours. Su-35S aircraft of the Aerospace Forces provided fighter support for the flight," the ministry said in a statement.

The Russian strategic bombers conducted their flight "in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace," Long-Range Aviation Commander Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash stressed.

The crews of Russia’s long-range aircraft "regularly perform flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the Northern Atlantic, the Black and Baltic Seas and the Pacific Ocean," the commander said.

The Tu-95 is a turboprop strategic missile-carrying bomber designed to strike enemy targets with a broad range of armaments, including nuclear weapons, in remote military-geographical areas and deep in the rear of continental theaters of military operations.

The first Tu-95MS modification performed its debut flight on September 14, 1979 and entered service in 1981. The Tu-95MS strategic bomber can accelerate to 830 km/h, has an operational range of 11,000 km and a practical ceiling of 11,600 meters. The strategic bomber has a crew of seven and carries long-range cruise missiles (a payload of 25 metric tons) and two 23mm guns.

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