MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - Two Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bombers have landed in Anadyr, Chukotka, during an exercise.
Anadyr is a city in Russia's extreme northeast, the administrative center of the Chukotka Autonomous Region, which shares a sea border with the United States in the east.
"The tactical exercise involving over 10 Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Ilyushin Il-78 aircraft is being supervised by Long-Range Aviation Commander Hero of Russia Lieut. Gen. Sergei Kobylash," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"A duo of Tu-95MS strategic bombers landed at the Anadyr airfield in the Chukotka Autonomous Region, while Tu-160 strategic bombers landed at the Sovetsky airfield in the [Russian internal] Republic of Komi during the exercise," the ministry quoted Kobylash as saying.
Earlier, Russian strategic bombers had flown to Chukotka and back to base.
"Despite the ongoing fulfillment of combat missions in the special military operation zone, every planned exercise is conducted to the full extent. A tactical exercise of aviation regiments from the Engels and Amur long-range aviation formations began on July 4, 2023," Kobylash said.
The strategic bombers trained penetration of the mock enemy's air defense and firing of air-launched weapons at simulated targets, as well as search-and-rescue operations in the Arctic, the ministry said.
Two Tu-160 strategic bombers landed in Komi, having performed non-stop flight from their base. They were refueled in mid-air by an Il-78 twice, it said.
"The long-range aviation aircraft covered a distance of over 9,000 kilometers to fulfill their mission. The flight lasted for more than 12 hours," the ministry said.
Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers are part of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Long-Range Aviation. Long-range aircraft are the airborne component of the Russian nuclear triad, yet they can also deliver conventional bombs and missiles, including cruise missiles.