Norway: Russian Bombers Neared NATO Summit On Unusual Practice Run
Oct. 25, 2007

Two Russian strategic bombers on an unusual practice run Thursday neared the Netherlands, where NATO defense ministers were meeting, the Norwegian military said.

Another set of bombers earlier Thursday flew unusually close to far northern Norwegian territory, but remained in international air space, military spokesman Lt. Col. John Espen Lien said. On both occasions, the flights started from the Russian Arctic.

Lien said the later flight - by two Tupolev 160 strategic bombers - followed a course near the Norwegian coast and between Britain and Denmark, before turning back some 190 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of the Netherlands, where NATO defense ministers were meeting in the city of Noordwijk.
Note, they sent their top line bombers on this run. If ever a message was sent…