Not dumb questions mate, and certainly worth some explanation.
As has been mentioned from previous comments in this thread, military forces around the world operate under various forms of 'Due Regard' which in my 10+ years of exposure to them through US/Coalition operations here in the Middle East assimilate more to "Due Dis-regard", but that's another story.
Essentially this traffic operates in International waters and ultimately have no requirement (and typically don't!) comply with many of the conventions of worldwide aviation. This includes both Communications and Navigation.
The most significant B52, B1 and B1 operations for GW2 originated in Diego Garcia, Oman, and Qatar. Prior to the official commencement of operations in the Iraq and Afghan theaters, these aircraft operated heavy due regard ops through the Middle East region, simulating mission profiles etc. Once hostilities officially got under way, the GCC states established formal transit lanes and basic procedures for achieving the objectives of the coalition states. If however, and it did/does happen that these privileges are removed then the respective acft will continue the mission due regard and remain clear of the objecting states.
On a daily basis in this FIR we have the US P3 ops operating 'Due Regard' and if I was to say it provides an extremely unsafe and difficult ATC environment with the levels of the civil traffic and military we endure, I would be underestimating the problem.
The Russians are conducting a typical and under international conventions, legal, projection of force not unlike the US and Coalition Forces do here in the ME, its just that it is on your doorstep so it is making the news.
