On December 25, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video showing Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ long-range aviation conducting a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas.
According to the official statement, the mission lasted more than seven hours.
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During the flight, fighter escort was provided by crews of Su-33 aircraft from Russian Naval Aviation.
At certain stages of the route, the strategic aircraft were also reportedly accompanied by fighters from foreign countries, a common practice during missions of this type in sensitive areas of international airspace.
The Ministry of Defense stressed that long-range aviation crews regularly conduct flights over neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific, Baltic, and Black Seas, and that all operations are carried out in strict compliance with international rules governing the use of airspace.
On the same day, the Operational Command of the Armed Forces (Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces) reported that Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over international waters of the Baltic Sea. According to the statement, the interception took place on the morning of December 25, 2025.
Polish crews carried out visual identification of the aircraft and escorted it out of the area of responsibility, noting that the Russian aircraft was flying close to the boundaries of Polish airspace. The operational command emphasized that there was no direct threat to the security of Polish airspace.
Polish military authorities added that specialized services continuously monitor this type of activity, adopting the necessary measures on the ground, and that the country’s military leadership maintains constant contact with allies and related structures, with forces and assets on permanent readiness to respond to potential challenges.
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Sources and images: Telegram @mod_russia | Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ, X @DowOperSZ. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
