Moscow chose perfect timing to send a signal to Tokyo. While Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid an official visit to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, two Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, of the Russian Air Force flew over the Sea of Japan.

This was announced today by the Russian Defense Ministry. According to Moscow, the strategic bombers carried out a "planned flight" while being escorted by other military combat aircraft. The mission would last more than seven hours. The dicastery stated that the overflight was carried out over international waters, that is neutral, therefore in compliance with international law.

The Tupolev Tu-95MS aircraft is a four-engine strategic bomber, developed in the 1950s. Entered service in 1956, it is still in service in this latest version, derived from the Tu-142, and equipped with AS-15 Kent missiles and KH-101 and 102 cruise rockets (with a thermonuclear warhead). Moscow regularly flies these aircraft over international waters in the Arctic, North Atlantic and Pacific as a show of force.