Posted on 10/29/2014 8:33:33 PM PDT by tcrlaf
NATO intercepted at least 19 Russian aircraft flying far outside Russia's airspace today, worrying the organization's officials.
"These sizable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace," NATO said in a statement released this afternoon.
The Russian fighter jets and bombers were seen flying in three different regions. The intercepts came a week after widespread reports that a Russian submarine may have been spotted off the coast of Sweden.
The North Sea and Atlantic Ocean had the largest fleet of Russian aircraft activity, with eight planes detected by NATO radar flying in formation from Russian airspace toward the Norwegian Sea and into international airspace this afternoon.
NATO allies, which continually watch over partner airspace, saw six of the planes turn back towards northern Russia after Norwegian Air Force F-16s intercepted the planes. The remaining two Russian planes, both Tu-95 Bear H bombers, continued to fly above the Norwegian coastline, prompting NATO planes stationed in the United Kingdom to track them
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Russia knows the US Media is preoccupied right now, trying to save the Dems next week, so they are stepping up the sabre rattling.
Intercepts over the Baltic, Arctic, and Black Sea TODAY, and nine intercepts yesterday.
Putting pressure on Europe ahead of the Gas Talks, and after the UK Election?
Putin dreams of long-lost Soviet glories.
Maybe.
Or maybe it has to do with that sub they lost.
The Russian Army is a joke. Their economy is a disaster. It’s a third world country with nukes, oil and gas. However the oil and gas sells for less than it costs to produce it. When you don’t have a pot to pee in, you clamor for respect. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the West is giving Putin — Russia isn’t a serious country and shouldn’t be treated as anything other than a sidenote.
So in other words, you want to militarily provoke a nuclear armed country that is aligned with China?
There are more subtle ways to send a message.
Hmm there up to something.
The pilots should play chicken.
Which time? Was another lost?
Russia needs the oil price to go up and they will probably add stress until it does.
The sky is not falling, but everyone is having fun. The Russian pilots get to hot dog, and NATO pilots get to punch their afterburners to intercept them. All get to play war without any of the bloody downside. And best of all, the politicians get to scare voters into giving them even more money and power while ignoring the very real problems that truly threaten their countries.
Not “Soviet”, The Russian Empire.
Agreed
So the US *is* a serious country??
“Hmm there up to something.”
Pushing the smaller NATO countries, would be my guess.
With already fragile economies already slipping into recession, the sanctions have hurt some, badly.
Imagine how terrified the pols must be of looking at have to cut Social Welfare in favor of an increased military budget?
How many will actually do it? And how many will bend over, rather than to face the wrath of the voters wanting their free schit?
~Imagine how terrified the pols must be of looking at have to cut Social Welfare in favor of an increased military budget?~
Yep, it would be fun to look at. Imagine, so many Somalian refugees and so few freebies.
Riots anyone?
On the other hand as far as the Swedish government and media would be preoccupied with another mysterious ‘submarine hunt’ to refuse non-green ‘caterpillar drive’ excercise in their waters I guess a Malmö PD would have free hand to send what they have for SWAT to prosecute some kind of ‘anti-gay’ graffiti in suburbs, largely ignoring ‘diverse’ rape spree and car burning in the city which is anyway provoked by the ‘blonde beasts’ who can’t dress modestly to save Muslims the trouble.
Then we’ll hear some leftist European politician demanding immediate communism to heal submarine, immigration and crime ills, and then a ‘European conservative’ arguing that full Communism is yet too much for now and all they need is amnesty and to cut back on military to double welfare spendings.
Isn’t enlighted Europe really sweet these days?
Soviet Union wasn’t economically weak and collapse because Russians are smart. It was weak because they are stupid.
Military budgets are a hard sell at peaceful times. By behaving like that Russians are helping the politicians who want to increase military budgets get to power.
Pressure? I don’t know what Putin thinks he’s doing. All he’s achieved so far is a more cohesive NATO, western forces on his borders (something he must HATE) and a Russian economy in free fall. This ‘superpower’ of his can barely muster influence in a few adjacent provinces of an impoverished neighbor.
So, the world should just ignore this?
BTW, this boat is swimming in the world's oceans as we speak.
No, I suggest ignoring it.
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