Moscow: Russian fighter jets are conducting a bombing exercise in the wake of naval drills currently underway by Ukraine, the United States, along with 30 NATO member nations. In response, the United States said the Russian exercise had not caused any deterrence in NATO-Ukraine drills. Analysts, however, have claimed that Russia’s bombing exercise was striking given its aggressive stand last month against the UK warship.
The naval exercise ‘Sea Breeze 2021’ started at the end of June with Ukraine, NATO and 30 other member nations. The two-week-long training involves 30 warships, 40 fighters and more than 5,000 soldiers. NATO stated that the exercise Sea Breeze had been held every year for the past two decades, although this time, the drills are massive and most extensive. Therefore, it assumes significance in light of the tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine and other issues over the past few months.
Russia has assigned importance to NATO-Ukraine drills ever since UK’s operation in the Black Sea last month. Also, Russian leaders and officials accused the exercises held at such a large-scale, of being provocative. Besides, Russia has taken bold steps to respond to provocation from the West. A few days ago, Russia had conducted ‘aerial denial tests’ after deploying the S-400 system and other missiles in Ukraine.
After that, Russia, holding the bombing exercises with fighters in an area close to where NATO-Ukraine drills are ongoing, is quite striking. The Russian training saw the participation of Su-24M bombers, Su-34 fighter bombers, Su-30SM multipurpose fighters and Su-27 fighter jets from the Black Sea fleet. The aircraft practised dropping missiles and bombing enemy warships, a Russian daily reported.
A few days before the exercise, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the UK warship sailing near Crimean territorial waters. Putin said even if Russia had sunk the warship, it would not have triggered the Third World War. Now, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has warned the warships practising in the Black Sea. ‘If anyone attempts to provoke us in the Black Sea, they will receive a punch on their nose,’ Ryabkov warned.
At the time, Ryabkov even accused that the UK warship sailing near Crimean waters last month was encouragement from the United States and the UK to Ukraine for provocation. Russian Coast Guard ships had shadowed UK warship HMS Defender as it sailed close to Crimea’s territorial waters and fired warning shots at it. In addition, Russian fighter jets dropped bombs in the sea to deter the UK warship, Russian armed forces claimed. Nevertheless, the UK has rebuffed all claims made by Russia on the subject.
Click below to express your thoughts and views on this news:
 |
https://twitter.com/WW3Info |
 |
https://www.facebook.com/WW3Info |
