PCD wrote:
Whether under treaty or not, looks like a refuel probe to me:
That is 'Red53' pictured at Riga, Lithuania. It is a Tu-22M1 Backfire A. This was one of a handful of pilot production aircraft built before the main production Tu-22M2s Backfire Bs entered service in the 1970s. The airframe was part of a Soviet technical school and left there after the Russians pulled out of the Baltic States.
The only type in service with the Russian Air Force/Navy are the Tu-22M3s Backfire Cs. The only other variant in service are a handful of Backfire Ds (Tu-22MR) built for recce. Easy to recognise the Backfire A/B from the C/D as the C/D has the raked air-intakes. The Ukranians have retired all of their fleet.
The Russians would have to tear up SALT/START/SORT etc if they wanted to re-instate the Backfire Cs with an air-refuelling capability.