MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. The Moscow air defense system has detected a notional enemy’s strategic bombers approaching the city in a snap combat readiness check of Russia’s Aerospace Force, the press office of Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"Long-range aircraft - Tu-160 strategic missile carriers and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers - performed flights at supersonic speeds at a maximum distance from radar detection zones, which complicated their detection and notional destruction," the press office said in a statement.

The aircraft were tasked with approaching notional strike objectives undetected by radar stations and antiaircraft missile systems. Their flights were registered by airborne and ground-based data recording equipment.

Aside from the strategic bombers, the notional enemy’s role was also performed by about another 20 various warplanes, including Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets, Su-34 bombers, Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainers, Antonov An-26 and An-12 military transport planes, Mil Mi-8 and Kamov Ka-52 helicopters.

The aircraft and helicopters notionally attacked the Russian capital from various directions, which complicated the operation of the Moscow air defense system.

The sudden combat readiness check of Russia’s Aerospace Force is being held by decision of Russian President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin on February 7-9.

Overall, the check involves about 45,000 troops and around 1,700 pieces of military hardware, including 150 aircraft and 200 antiaircraft missile systems.