Russia denies its strategic bombers violated British airspace

Moscow, July 18 (UNI) Russia today denied reports in Western media that its two strategic bombers violated British airspace.

The spokesman for the Russian Air Force Col Alexander Drobyshevsky told Russian news agencies that Russian strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-95MS carried out planned flights over neutral waters with all international regulations observed.

He was referring to the British media reports earlier that British RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers that had taken off from an airbase on the Kola Peninsula, in Russia's north, and were flying in Britain's direction.

"Reports that Russian bombers were flying towards British airspace are untrue. The long-range aircraft were on a scheduled mission over international waters," Col Drobyshevsky quoted Russian Air Force commander Gen Alexander Zelin as saying.

Gen Zelin dismissed as rubbish speculation to the effect that Russian bomber flights were linked to an ongoing diplomatic row between Russia and Britain over Moscow's refusal to extradite businessman and ex-security officer Andrei Lugovoi, accused as prime suspect in the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, who was living in political asylum in London.

"Our planes were flying planned flights over neutral waters.

Such flights have been carried out and will be carried out in line with a plan for training long-range aircraft crews," Gen Zelin told Interfax news agency.

UNI