As U.S. and NATO planes gather around Ukraine, long range air activity by Russian bombers in the Pacific is increasing and concerning.

Russian activity in Crimea has been accompanied by an increased presence in the Asia-Pacific region by Moscow’s long-range bombers.

Commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, General Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, said that Russian patrols included air activity off the coast of California, and around the U.S. Pacific base at Guam, Reuters reported.

Speaking at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, Carlisle showed also a slide of a U.S. F-15 fighter jet intercepting a Russian Tu-95 “Bear” aircraft that was circumnavigating Guam, a base where U.S. strategic bombers are usually deployed.

Along with missions flown as far as the U.S. West Coast, Russian patrols around the Japanese islands and Korea have increased “drastically.”

Few days ago, Tu-95s were intercepted by RAF Typhoons off UK islands.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

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