Vladimir Putin taunted the West by taking a joyride in a modernised supersonic Tu-160M strategic nuclear bomber today - as the Kremlin threatened nuclear war.
The despot's stunt - which lasted around 40 minutes - appeared to be intended to enhance his macho ratings as he stands for re-election next month, and distract attention from the 'murder' of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic jail.
But by flying in a type of warplane that has been used to wreak havoc in Ukraine with conventional weapons, he was sending a message that he intends to keep fighting in Ukraine, which he invaded almost two years ago.
And the huge Tu-160M - aka White Swan - is a key part of his nuclear strike force at a time when the Kremlin is bluntly warning the West over the risk of nuclear war.
Putin was seen taking off in Kazan a day after he visited a factory in the city where the Tupolev bombers are manufactured.
He clambered up a ladder at the factory to go inside the plane and spent ten minutes in the cockpit.
He then made the decision to fly himself in one of his bombers - his first flight since he took to the sky in a Tu-160 in 2005.
The giant swing-wing plane is a substantially modernised-version of a Soviet-era bomber that the USSR would have deployed in the event of a nuclear war with the West to deliver nuclear weapons at long distances.
The TU-160M is capable of carrying 12 cruise missiles or 12 short-range nuclear missiles and can fly 7,500 miles non-stop without re-fuelling.
Putin later emerged from the Tu-160M to hail the improved aircraft - the model in which he had flown - as suitable for the Russian air force.
'The technology is excellent. It can be accepted into the Armed Forces,' he said.
1 comment:
Joy riding in a weapon of war is not something to be proud of. On the other hand our leadership is a complete embarrassment. Even the Biden dog commander can’t be trusted to behave. The entire world’s so called leadership is lunacy. Alfred Hitchcock couldn’t have dreamed up a more bizarre show.
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