Russia Plans Bomber Flights in Gulf of Mexico

Floridians who travel out far into international waters in the Gulf of Mexico may soon spot planes that are distinctly un-American flying overhead.

Russia announced Wednesday that it intends to begin sending long-range bombers on patrol in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, CNN reported. The bombers are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

The announcement came from Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu.

“In the current situation, we have to maintain military presence in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico,” Shoigu was quoted by the News Journal as saying. The flights will be “reconnaissance missions to monitor foreign powers’ military activities and maritime communications.”

The news came on the same day NATO reported combat troop movements in the Ukraine, USA Today reported. The paper also stated that even during the Cold War, Russia didn’t fly bomber patrols over the Gulf of Mexico.

It is unclear how soon Russia intends to launch its reconnaissance flights.

In September, the United States intercepted six Russian planes in airspace near Alaska, CNN reported.

As aggressions between Russia and NATO nations continue to rise, especially in the Ukraine, The White House is warning if Russia stays on its path of “escalating the situation,” ongoing economic sanctions are likely, USA Today reported.

The ongoing tensions have CNN asking if this is a return to the Cold War era.

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Photo Credit: Patch File Photo

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