BBC:
Russia 'renewing bomber patrols'
Russia is resuming a Soviet-era practice of sending its bomber aircraft on long-range flights, President Vladimir Putin has said. Mr Putin said the move to resume the flights after a 15 year suspension was in response to security threats posed by other military powers. He said 14 bomber aircraft had taken off from seven airfields across Russia.........
Russian media reported earlier on Friday that long-range bombers had been flying over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A Russian air force spokesman said several pairs of bombers were in the air "accompanied by Nato planes," Itar-Tass news agency said. Nato said it was aware of the flights but had no comment on whether the Russian bombers had been accompanied by Nato planes.
Itar-Tass quoted Russian air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky as saying: "At present, several pairs of Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft are in the air over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which are accompanied by Nato planes." .......