Defense

Russia’s strategic aviation begins exercise featuring missile carrying cruisers, bombers

 A headquarters exercise has begun on a major base of Russia’s strategic aviation in the city of Engels, Saratov region in the Middle Volga area, Colonel Igor Klimov, the chief public relations officer of the Russian Air Force told reporters on Wednesday.

Engaged in the exercise are the strategic missile carrying cruisers Tupolev-160 (Blackjack) and Tupolev-95MS (Bear), long-distance missile-carrying strike bombers Tupolev-22M3 (Backfire), the early warning and control aircraft A-50 (Mainstay), the Sukhoi-27 and MiG-31 fighter jets, as well as Antonov-12 airlifters and Mi-8 helicopters.