A US heavy bomber flew close to the Russian border

On February 24th, a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber soared over the capital of Estonia, which brought the aircraft and its escorting fighters close to the border with Russia according to reports. 

The War Zone reported that the Stratofortress and its escorts were within 50 miles (or about 80 kilometers) from the Russian border during a sortie that took the aircraft over Tallinn as part of Estonia’s Independence Day celebrations. 

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

“While scheduled, the B-52 flight led to much speculation on social media, especially since it came three years to the day since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” explained The War Zone in its report. 

Flights over Estonia’s capital involving B-52H bombers have happened before, but The War Zone noted that the signal this type of flight sends shouldn’t be overlooked due to the current geopolitical situation in Europe. 

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

Donald Trump’s new US administration has sought to restart ties with Russia after the Biden administration fell out with Moscow over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Such a flight would be a harsh rebuke of Russia. 

The B-52H Stratofortress was from the 5th Bomb Wing, which is stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. After flying over Tallinn, the B-52H flew east towards the Russian city of St. Petersberg before changing course and making its return journey. 

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

The Ukrainian military website Militarnyi reported that the B-52H bomber was joined by two F/A-18 Hornet fighters and four Dutch F-35As.

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

While on its way back, the B-52H flew over Latvia and Lithuania before crossing into Polish airspace in an area known as the Suwalki Gap, a critical piece of land that links NATO territory with the Baltic States via Poland and Lithuania. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By NordNordWest, CC BY-SA 3.0

The return flight path brought the B-52H Stratofortress within about 10 miles (roughly 16 kilometers) of the Belarusian border according to online flight tracking data. Belarus is a close ally of Russia.

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

“It’s worth noting that it’s not unheard of for U.S. bombers to pass through this area,” The War Zone reported before later adding that “the symbolic nature of a B-52 flight in these specific areas is hard to ignore.”

Photo Credit: X @FinnishAirForce

“For the three Baltic States in particular, today’s B-52 sortie may be seen as a reminder of U.S. commitment to their continued independence in the face of an increasingly belligerent Russia,” the War Zone added. 

The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range heavy bomber that can carry nuclear weapons or precision-guided conventional ordnance with what the US Air Force called “worldwide precision navigation capability.”

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