On December 25, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video showing a Tu-95MS strategic bomber belonging to the long-range aviation unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducting a planned flight over the high seas of the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea.
Officials said the mission took more than seven hours.
+ Watch the video here
During the flight, crews from Su-33 fighter jets of the Russian Naval Air Corps provided fighter escort.
In some sections of the route, the strategic bomber was reportedly followed by foreign fighter jets, a common practice for such missions in sensitive areas of international airspace.
The Ministry of Defense stressed that the crews of long-range aviation units regularly carry out flights over the high seas of the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Baltic Sea and Black Sea, and all operations are carried out in strict compliance with international airspace use regulations.
On the same day, Polish Military Operations Command (Operational Command of the Armed Forces) announced that Polish Air Force fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over international waters in the Baltic Sea. The interception reportedly took place on the morning of December 25, 2025.
Polish crew members said they visually identified the target and escorted it out of their assigned airspace, explaining that the Russian plane was flying close to the border of Polish airspace. The operational command stressed that there was no direct threat to the security of Polish airspace.
Poland’s military authorities also added that specialized departments are continuously monitoring these types of activities and taking necessary measures on the ground, and that the country’s military leadership is in constant contact with allies and relevant institutions, keeping troops and equipment on permanent readiness to respond to any eventuality.
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Source/Image: Telegram @mod_russia | Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ, X @DowOperSZ. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
