US Rehearses Strikes From A Nuclear Bomber 50km From Russia's Border
- 13.11.2025, 13:32
The plane was covered by Finnish fighters and the British Air Force.
A US B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber during a training flight over Finland practiced striking targets at the Sotinpuro training range, which is near the Russian border in the east of the country, the Finnish Air Force (Air Force) reported. The bomber then entered Estonian airspace and approached the Russian border at a distance of about 50 kilometers.
The U.S. aircraft was covered by Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets in Finland, while in Estonia by a Eurofighter Typhoon of the British Royal Air Force. Also during the B-52H training flight, a NATO E-3A Sentry long-range radar detection and control aircraft was cruising in the skies over Estonia. Prior to that, the U.S. Air Force Europe Command reported that a group of strategic bombers B-52H arrived at Moron Air Base in Spain "to conduct multilateral exercises with Finland, Lithuania, Sweden and other allies and partners." A total of three bombers were deployed to Spain from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
The U.S. command noted that the B-52Hs will conduct a series of training sorties simulating actions at "high threat levels." It added that the multilateral exercise deployments allow U.S. Air Force strategic bomber crews to hone rapid response tactics and maintain a credible deterrent capability along NATO's eastern flank and in the High North.
In late September, the United States deployed reconnaissance aircraft capable of detecting and destroying submarines and participating in anti-ship operations near Russia's borders as part of NATO's strengthening of its forces in the Baltic Sea. At least three Boeing P-8A Poseidon were stationed at Norway's largest airport, Gardermuen.
On September 28, one of these planes, according to the Flightradar24 service, took to the skies over the Baltic and circled for several hours over the sea waters near the Kaliningrad region, where one of the Russian Baltic Fleet's basing points is located. The operational headquarters of the Norwegian Armed Forces explained the aircraft's departure by "supporting allied actions" in the Baltic.