Putin moves nuclear bombers to air base near borders with Finland and Norway as tensions rise over possible use of nuclear weapons
Putin has gradually increased the number of strategic bombers at the Olenya airbase
There were none on August 12, up to four Tu-160 on August 21, to 11 now
The increase in bombers comes amid concerns that Putin may use nuclear weapons
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has again increased his strategic nuclear bombers at an air base near the Finnish and Norwegian borders, reports say.
The move comes amid high tension over whether he plans to launch a nuclear strike in Europe and his ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
He has gradually increased the number of strategic bombers at Olenya airbase from none on August 12 to four supersonic Tu-160 on August 21 to 11 now.
Vladimir Putin has again increased his strategic nuclear bombers at an air base near the Finnish and Norwegian borders, reports say. Image: A satellite image taken on October 7, 2022 shows seven Tu-160 strategic bombers (marked in red) and four Tu-95 aircraft (marked in yellow) at Olenya Air Base, Russia Kola Peninsula
Pictured: Four Tu-160 ‘Blackjacks’ seen at Olenya Airbase around August 21, 2022 by Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat Intl
Pictured: The four Tu-160 ‘Blackjacks’ (at the base since 21 August 2022) were joined by three Tu-95 ‘Bears’ on 25 September
There are seven Tu-160 strategic bombers (marked in red on recently published satellite images) and four Tu-95 aircraft (marked in yellow) at the facility on the Kola Peninsula – found in extreme northwestern Russia, and in the Arctic Circle.
The revelation comes from Faktisk.no – an independent Norwegian fact-checking website – which obtained data from the American satellite operator Planet.
The build-up above at the air base follows international concern over another report two weeks ago, when The Jerusalem Post revealed that there was an ‘unusual deployment’ of seven nuclear bombers at the air base.
This was highlighted by Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat International, which detected the ‘irregular presence’ of TU-160s and TU-95s.
The Armageddon planes are normally stationed at Engels Air Base, 450 miles southeast of Moscow.
The bombs are close to the border of NATO member Norway and soon to be Alliance member Finland.
They can also be used with conventional weapons.
Image: A satellite image of Olenya Air Base, Russia’s Kola Peninsula
A Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’ strategic bomber on static display at MAKS 2013
A Tu-95MS Bear H RF-94130 pictured off Scotland in 2014
There is evidence that the Olanya deployment has Kh-101 cruise missiles for possible use against targets in Ukraine.
The Kh-101 can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.
The runway at Olenya Air Base was empty on August 12, and satellite images from October 7 showed it is now full of warplanes.
The Tu-160 – aka the White Swan, but known in the West as the Blackjack – is a supersonic strategic bomber that has been the workhorse of Russia’s strategic missile forces since Soviet times.
It is the largest Mach 2+ military aircraft ever built and, as of 2022, is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft still in service – while also being the fastest bomber.
As of 2016, the Long Range Aviation Division of the Russian Air Force had 16 aircraft in service, with upgrades to the aircraft being made in recent years.
The jet can carry 88,000 lbs of weapons on board, with each of its two internal compartments holding 44,000 lbs or free-fall weapons or a nuclear missile launch.
Meanwhile, the super-tall Tu-95, known as the Bear, is the only propeller-driven strategic bomber still in operation today.
The aircraft first flew 70 years ago, but was not used in combat for the first time until 2015. It was originally intended to drop free-falling nuclear weapons, but has since been modified to perform several other roles.
Putin has deployed the Tu-95s to buzz Britain at moments of high tension, for example in February this year when the Royal Air Force scrambled Typhoon fighters to escort two bears off northern Scotland.