- The Kremlin launched two missile carriers to fly over the Norwegian Sea
- NATO sent planes in response, Russia says
- Tensions between Russia and the bloc have been steadily increasing
NATO has sent fighter jets to confront a pair of nuclear-capable missile carriers that were seen patrolling the Norwegian Sea today, Russia has claimed.
The Kremlin once again mocked the bloc by launching two TU-95MS aircraft to patrol the Norwegian Sea, which were escorted by a group of Su35S aircraft.
During the five-hour flight, “fighters from foreign countries” also accompanied the unit, although Moscow did not specify which Western air forces were deployed. A Ministry of Defense source told MailOnline that the RAF has not launched any aircraft in response to the flyover.
The Norwegian Sea borders Great Britain to the south, Shetland to the north, Norway to the east and Iceland to the west.
“The flight was carried out in strict accordance with international standards for the use of airspace,” said Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash, commander of Russian long-range aviation.
Russian Tu-95MS nuclear-capable strategic missile carriers flew over the Norwegian Sea
The flights come amid warnings from Western politicians and military commanders about the threat of Russia triggering a Third World War.
“Long-range aviation pilots regularly fly over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the North Atlantic, the Pacific Ocean, the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea.”
The flights come amid warnings from Western politicians and military commanders about the threat of Russia triggering a Third World War in the coming years.
But the UK’s overstretched armed forces may not be able to effectively fight a potential world war as chronic shortages of troops and equipment are being cloaked under a “veil of secrecy”, MPs have warned.
In a damning report published last week, the Defense Select Committee concluded that the Army is the UK’s “weakest service” due to “significant capability shortfalls”, which included drastic shortages of vehicles, tanks and even ammunition.
After facing a wall of silence as they compiled their Ready for War report, MPs urged senior military leaders and ministers to be more transparent about shortcomings so they can be urgently addressed.
The report also highlights war readiness problems with the Royal Navy’s £3.5bn aircraft carriers.
Ukrainian servicemen light a fire with gunpowder to warm themselves near the town of Bakhmut
A Ukrainian soldier from the Ukrainian Volunteer Army is in a fortified position, in an undisclosed location next to the Vuhledar front.
Firefighters try to extinguish the fire that broke out in a building destroyed after the Russian bombing
Despite spending around £50bn a year on defence, “continued and sustained investment” is needed for the UK to fight a “high intensity war”, the report concludes.
Witnesses told the inquiry that the Armed Forces would struggle in a major conflict, claiming the British Army does not have enough new infantry fighting vehicles, Challenger tanks or adequate missile defense capabilities.
The Royal Navy is suffering delays to a new frigate program and an “overloaded” aircraft fleet, while the RAF has a shortage of fighter jets, delays in new Chinook helicopters and too few pilots.
Force chiefs also expressed concern that reserves used by Ukraine would reduce the amount available to the UK.
The report warned of “capacity shortfalls”, with the MoD admitting it was only recruiting five serving staff for every eight who left.
Earlier this week, Putin told Tucker Carlson that a Russian defeat in the war he unleashed by invading Ukraine is “impossible” and “will never happen.”
There is also great concern in Eastern Europe that a re-elected Donald Trump will scale back NATO.
Putin told Carlson: “We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else, why would we have an interest?”
“We just don’t have any interest… It’s absolutely out of the question.”
However, he had previously made similar claims about using force to seize Crimea and other areas of Ukraine.
MailOnline has contacted NATO and the UK Ministry of Defense for comment.
