Russia Launches Missiles In Atlantic Exercise

by Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia - Russian naval and air forces converged yesterday at the Bay of Biscay in what is said to be the country's largest military exercise since the Soviet era.  Offering a display of military might, two Tu-160 long range bombers test-fired tactical air missiles off the coast of France and Spain.  The exercise was planned and the French Defense Ministry was informed in advance of the operation.

Reuters reports that Russian bombers joined aircraft carriers, submarine hunters, and battleships for these exercises in the Atlantic.  Forty-seven aircraft and eleven ships participated.  Russia's Air Force commander, Alexander Drobyshevsky, told the Interfax news agency that, "maneuvers were being carried out in strict accordance with international rules in neutral waters." 

The exercise is viewed by some as one of Putin's final attempts to demonstrate Russia's growing military might during his presidency.  During the last several years, he has made efforts to revive international respect for his armed forces by boosting military spending, upgrading nuclear attack forces, and engaging in long-range bombing missions.  Nevertheless, Russia's military display is said to be largely symbolic.  Its military spending is quite a bit lower than China, Britain, France, and the United States, and its armed forces still haven't recovered from the Soviet collapse in the 1990's. 

Putin, however, claims that his military upgrade is necessary in light of NATO's build-up of forces close to the Russian border.  The demonstration also comes as a response to a U.S. plan to build a missile defense system in Europe.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Russia fires missiles off France - 23 January 2008

Shanghai Daily - Russian bombers to test-fire missiles off France and Spain - 23 January 2008

Yahoo (Reuters) - Russia to test-fire missiles in Atlantic - 22 January 2008