Russia's strategic bombers to hold military exercises in Far East

Moscow, Mar 19 (UNI) Russia's Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers will conduct military exercises in the Far East on March 20-22.

''Crews of an air regiment, equipped with Tu-95MS bombers, would participate in planned flight drills and long-range patrols over the Pacific,'' Russian Air Force said in a statement today.

Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans last August, following an order signed by President Vladimir Putin. Russian bombers have since carried out over 70 strategic patrol flights.

The move was widely seen by the West as a sign of Russia's increasingly aggressive and assertive military stance.

The commander of the Air Force's strategic aviation Major-General Pavel Androsov, flew today to the Ukrainka strategic Air Force base in the Amur region to oversee the upcoming exercises.

Maj-Gen Androsov would also oversee exercises of an air squadron of An-30V aerial survey and photography planes on March 23-24 in the Irkutsk region, the statement said.

An-30V is a member of the An-24 family and has been specifically designed for the Russian Air Force with better survey equipment.

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