ST. PETERSBURG, July 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed to actions of the US to heat tensions because of flights of Russian strategic aircraft.

"Our attention today is called to growing fomenting of tensions by Washington in connection with flights of the Russian strategic aviation," the president said at the Main Naval Parade. "Russian strategic missile carrying aircraft did not perform air patrols far away from our borders since collapse of the Soviet Union," Putin noted. "Russia believed at that time that there was no need for that anymore: the world changed, the ‘cold war’ passed," the head of state said. "However, the United States did not respond to this unilateral gesture of good will and continued patrolling near our borders," Putin stressed.

"Therefore, we resumed such flights since 2007. This became a tit-for-tat measure for the growing activity of US strategic and reconnaissance aviation in regions of the globe sensitive for Russia," the head of state said.

The Russian Navy provides for sovereignty and independence of the country during last centuries and is making a significant contribution to development of many sectors, the president added.