Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Putin’s Games – Russia's Military Get Down to Some of Good, Old-Fashioned Sabre-Rattling: RAF Fighter Jets Yesterday Intercept Two Russian Strategic Bombers Heading for British Airspace

TIMESONLINE: RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers heading for British airspace yesterday, as the spirit of the Cold War returned to the North Atlantic once again.

The incident, described as rare by the RAF, served as a telling metaphor for the stand-off between London and Moscow over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

While the Kremlin hesitated before responding to Britain’s expulsion of four diplomats, the Russian military engaged in some old-fashioned sabre-rattling.

Two Tu95 “Bear” bombers were dispatched from their base on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic Circle and headed towards British airspace. RAF scrambles to intercept Russian bombers (more) By Richard Beeston

Mark Alexander