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Russian bombers not carrying nuclear weapons, air force says
Moscow (AFP) Aug 27, 2007 Russia said Monday that strategic bomber planes which were ordered this month to resume the Soviet-era practice of long-range patrols are not carrying nuclear weapons, ITAR-TASS news agency reported. "We are not flying with nuclear weapons during our patrols. They are not aboard. There are only training weapons," the head of strategic aviation, General Pavel Androsov, was quoted as saying. He said the main aim of the flights was to improve training for pilots, which in recent years "was virtually stopped". President Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of long-range flights in international air space while he attended military exercises on August 17. Such flights were standard during the Cold War standoff with the United States and its western European allies, but were abandoned in 1992 amid financial difficulties that followed the Soviet collapse. The airplanes involved in the patrols are the Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Il-78, and MiG-35, Androsov said. Russian bombers had been making increasingly frequent flights near US territory in the lead-up to Putin's announcement, while Britain and Norway have recently scrambled jets to intercept Russian planes near their airspace. Androsov played down fears of renewed tension, saying "our contacts in the air are friendly". Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Iran's Ahmadinejad vows to continue nuclear programme
Baku (AFP) Aug 22, 2007Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrapped up a visit to neighbouring Azerbaijan on Wednesday with a vow to continue Iran's contested nuclear programme. |
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