Russia flies strategic bomber planes near Japan as its PM visits Ukraine

Reuters:

March 21 – Two Russian strategic bomber planes flew over the Sea of Japan for more than seven hours, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday in a statement released as Japan’s prime minister was beginning a visit to Ukraine.

The Tupolev Tu-95MS planes are capable of carrying nuclear weapons and Moscow regularly flies them over international waters in the Arctic, North Atlantic and Pacific as a show of strength.

The timing of the latest flight appeared more pointed than usual, as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was due in Kyiv later on a visit to show solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the war against Russia.

Japanese national broadcaster NHK showed Kishida boarding a train at the Polish town of Przemysl near the Ukraine border.

Russia said the strategic bombers made a “planned flight”, escorted by fighter planes. It was carried out in strict compliance with international law and was made over neutral waters, the defence ministry said.