Russia reinstates nuclear-bomber flights

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir V. Putin announced Friday reinstatement of the Soviet-era practice of having nuclear bombers routinely fly long-distance flights that bring them within striking distance of the United States and its allies.

“Today just after midnight, 14 strategic missile aircraft, with support and fuel planes, took off from seven airfields across Russia,” Putin said in televised remarks. “Combat duty began in which a total of 20 planes are taking part. From today, combat duty of this kind will be carried out on a regular basis.”

He expressed hope that the West would show “understanding” for his decision.

The White House sought to play down the Russian action, insisting that the resumption of flights did not indicate a worsening of relations or present a new strategic threat to America.

Putin’s announcement came at the end of a joint military exercise conducted by about 6,000 troops from Russia, China and four Central Asian states. Analysts said the exercise was meant to send a signal to the West that it should not try to interfere in the affairs of the participating countries.

The war games were observed by Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders of the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which held a summit in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday and then traveled to Russia’s Chebarkul training ground to watch the exercises.

The resumption of regular strategic bomber flights appeared aimed at influencing domestic and international politics rather than affecting the military balance of power. It also reflected Russia’s growing economic strength, with high oil prices boosting the country’s ability to spend money on its military. Routine flights by the bombers were discontinued in 1992.

“What we see today is not a step in the resumption of the Cold War but some kind of a Cold War farce staged by President Putin,” said Alexander Golts, a military analyst who writes for the Russian-language news Web site Yezhednevny Zhurnal.

“This would be a laughable farce but for one serious thing: It is a very dangerous farce,” Golts said. “The strategic planes are up in the air. They may be carrying nuclear missiles or may not, which we will never know for sure, but this risk strongly exists. … These planes will have to be watched at all times now by our Western colleagues.”

Putin said the bombers would fly primarily “in the regions of our busy sea routes and economic zones.” Russian strategic bombers can carry nuclear cruise missiles with ranges of at least 1,800 miles. He said the bombers were scheduled to spend about 20 hours in the air on Friday and that they were being refueled in flight.

“We proceed from the notion that our partners will react with understanding to the resumption of flights of the Russian strategic air forces,” he said. “Our pilots have sat idle for too long. We have had a strategic air force but practically no flights.”

After a period of considerable warmth in the 1990s, U.S.-Russian relations have become increasingly strained in recent years. Washington, D.C., has complained about what it sees as a rollback of democracy in Russia. U.S. dissatisfaction also has been fueled by Moscow’s alleged use of oil and gas export contracts to make political demands on its neighbors, a dispute over the future of Kosovo and other issues.

Russians have been angered by U.S. plans to install an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe. Washington says it is needed to defend Europe and North America, citing the possibility of missile attacks by Iran. Moscow has expressed fear that the move would be a step toward a global missile-defense system aimed at devaluing Russia’s and China’s nuclear deterrents, and that the system could be modified for offensive missiles that would be close to Russia’s border.

Gordon Johndroe, a deputy White House spokesman, said the United States had “very good working relations” with the Russian government and armed forces. He portrayed the Russian move as a routine deployment or maneuvers, rather than an enhanced military posture.

Speaking to reporters in Crawford, Texas, where the president is vacationing at his ranch, Johndroe called the action “an internal decision made by the Russians” that did not come as a surprise. Asked if the Pentagon considered the strategic bomber flights a threat, he responded, “Oh, I don’t think our military has those concerns about it.”