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<\/p>\nBRAZEN Vladimir Putin sent his supersonic strategic bombers close to the UK in a chilling nuclear drill.<\/p>\n
Footage shows the Tupolev Tu-160s – known as White Swans – and Tupolev Tu22M3s in flight over the Norweigan Sea.<\/p>\n
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The jets flew close to northern Britain during exercises that lasted more than 13 hours as Russia attempted to flex the Kremlin's nuclear muscle.<\/p>\n
They also went over the Black Sea – part of the war zone of Putin's conflict in Ukraine – and the Barents Sea.<\/p>\n
The Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers and Tu-22M3 long-range supersonic bombers are a key part of Russia\u2019s nuclear strike force.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Air escort was provided by Su-30SM and MiG-31 aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces and naval aircraft of the Northern Fleet.<\/p>\n
Moscow called the flights \u201croutine\u201d but they come amid high tensions between Russia and the West over Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.\u00a0<\/p>\n The routing involved flying to the north of the Shetland Islands, it is understood.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Russian defence ministry said: "Planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range aviation have performed routine flights in airspace over international waters of the Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea and Black Sea.<\/p>\n \u201cTu-160 strategic bombers and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers took part in the missions."<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Lt-Gen Sergey Kobylash, commander of Russian long-range aviation, added: \u201dAll the flights were carried out in strict conformity with international rules on the use of airspace.\u201d<\/p>\n Long-range aviation warplanes constitute the air component of Russia's nuclear triad, but they can also carry out strikes using conventional missiles and bombs, including cruise missiles.<\/p>\n Putin's propagandists have repeatedly demanded\u00a0he should deploy tactical nuclear missiles in the conflict – or against Western countries supplying modern arms to Kyiv, a threat also voiced by some Russian officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Tu-160 – also known as Blackjack – is a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic missile-carrying bomber dating from the Soviet era.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Tu-22M3 planes have been used to strike Ukraine with conventional weapons.\u00a0<\/p>\n It comes after Putin readied his deadly 20,000mph "meteorite" hypersonic missile for combat.<\/p>\n The\u00a0nuclear-capable\u00a0weapon can be fired outside the earth's atmosphere before striking anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes.<\/p>\n It is the only weapon of its kind in the world and\u00a0Putin\u00a0has warned the West possesses no means to stop it.\u00a0<\/p>\n The missile with its Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle was seen being installed in an underground launch silo at the base of the 31st Missile Army in\u00a0Russia's Orenburg region.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/newspress-collage-24759653-1700144501781.jpg\")
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