Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, an Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy military transport plane and an Ilyushin Il-62 plane arrived in Venezuela, the Russian defense ministry said on Monday.
“Two Tu-160 strategic bombers, an An-124 heavy military transport plane and an Il-62 long-haul plane of the Russian aerospace forces that took off from aerodromes in Russia have landed at the Maiquet·a “Sim·n Bol·var” International Airport of the Venezuelan capital city,” the ministry said.
It’s not the first time the Tu-160s (NATO reporting name ‘Blackjack’) are seen in Venezuela as the strategic bombers already visited it in 2008 and 2013.
Also noted that Russian aircraft have carried out a 10,000-kilometer flight from Russia to Venezuela, being shadowed by Norwegian F-16 fighter jets along the way.
The flight of the Russian air group was conducted over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents Sea, the Sea of Norway and the Caribbean Sea. “During some parts of the route, the Tu-160 bombers were escorted by the F16s of the Norwegian Air Force,” the ministry said.
Moscow pointed out that the journey was performed “in strict accordance with the international regulations on the use of airspace.”
