Russia's Tu-95MS strategic bombers have carried out patrol flights over the three northern seas surrounding the country and the Arctic Ocean as part of the international Vostok-2018 military drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th September, 2018) Russia's Tu-95MS strategic bombers have carried out patrol flights over the three northern seas surrounding the country and the Arctic Ocean as part of the international Vostok-2018 military drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the long-range aviation of the [Russian] aerospace forces have conducted schedule flights over the international waters of the Barents Sea, the Chukchi Sea, the East Siberian Sea and the Arctic Ocean as part of the Vostok-2018 drills," the statement read.
Besides, the two strategic bombers have carried out en route refueling with the help of the Il-78 tanker aircraft.
According to the statement, Su-35S fighters have provided air support to the strategic bombers during the patrol flights.
"Long-range aviation pilots conduct flight over the international waters of the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Black Sea and the Pacific Ocean on a regular basis. All the flights are carried out in strict compliance with the international rules for the use of airspace without violating the borders of other countries," the statement read further.
The Vostok-2018 international drills are being held under the leadership of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Russian Far East and the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean on September 11-15. Vostok-2018, involving nearly 300,000 servicemen, tens of thousands armored vehicles, helicopters, aircraft, and drones, is set to become Russia's largest military exercise in past 37 years. Apart from the Russian servicemen, the exercise will also involve Chinese and Mongolian troops.
