The following extract taken from Russian MOD website, translated and submitted for information and interest by Old Crow. Date of article 25th October 2007.NATO fighter aircraft escort our "strategic chaps"
Six TU-95MS (Bear H), two TU-22M3 (Backfire), four TU-160 (Blackjack) and two IL-78 (Tanker??) aircraft in the course of carrying out tactical exercises under the direction of CinC Air Forces, Colonel-General Aleksandr Zelin, today carried out patrols over the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans and over the Black Sea. These flights are being flown at night as well as during the day.
The "strategic exercises" are being accomplished in accordance with the plan for combat training and carried out strictly in accordance with International regulations covering the use of air-space over neutral/International waters and make no incursions into other countries' air space.
The Strategic TU-160 and TU-95MS carrying out the patrol flights were escorted during their flights over International waters by NATO fighters - "F-16" and "Tornado" - for more than 8 hours. The fighter aircraft flew along parallel headings but did not interfere with the assigned missions of (our) "strategic" crews.
Details of what the Russians are doing can be found at on this blog in an article posted yesterday at: http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2007/10/russian-long-range-bomber-missions.html