THIS is the dramatic moment US fighter jets came face to face with Putin and Xi’s nuclear-armed bombers for the first time.
The flight marks a frightening escalation towards World War III, as warplanes flew close to the US territory of Alaska.
US and Canadian fighter jets detected, tracked and intercepted two Russian Tupolev TU-95 bombers and two Chinese Xi’an H-6 bombers on Wednesday night.
Russian Su-30 and Su-35 fighters provided cover for the bombers as they tried to provoke the US.
The US and Canada are believed to have flown F-35s, F-16s and F-18s.
The joint bomber patrol highlights the growing military partnership between the autocratic nations, with the daring of their flights worrying Western capitals.
The planes were captured by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) using satellite and RADAR.
Norad said the four bombers did not enter U.S. or Canadian airspace, but operated in the Alaskan air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and did not pose a threat.
An ADIZ is a self-declared buffer zone in international airspace in which countries monitor flight movements for potential security threats.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the five-hour joint patrol took place in a “new area of joint action”.
They stated that the planes “acted strictly in accordance with international legal statutes” and “did not violate the airspace of foreign countries.”
A Chinese spokesperson said on Thursday that the patrols “have nothing to do with the current international situation” and that the maneuver does not target any third country.
The Sino-Russian maneuver marks a new expansion of growing military cooperation between the countries.
Senior U.S. defense officials told lawmakers earlier this year that the U.S. military was reviewing its strength toward Russia and China.
Alexey Muraviev, professor of national security and strategic studies at Curtin University in Perth, told the Financial Times that the flight was close to Alaska for a reason.
He said the maneuver was “a continuation of his efforts to pressure the US in the Arctic region.”
An expert on Russian-Chinese military cooperation at the University of New South Wales in Sydney said the flight was a worrying first.
Alexander Korolev said:“It is not uncommon for Russian bombers to fly across the [Alaska] ADIZ will be intercepted, but I believe this is the first instance of a joint Russian and Chinese flight in that area.”
Although Beijing and Moscow do not have a mutual defense treaty, they have been training together for almost 20 years.
This activity has intensified over the past six years, but has remained in the airspace around Japan and the western Pacific Ocean, east of Taiwan and the Philippines.
The latest patrol was “notable for being the first intercept of Chinese military aircraft near Alaska,” Korolev said.
Defense experts said the joint exercises and patrols offered more practical benefits to China’s People’s Liberation Army.
It has not fought a war since 1979 and could learn from the Russian military’s recent combat experience in Ukraine.
For Moscow, military alignment with Beijing strengthens its claim to be a global military power and strengthens ties with ally China.
Norad noted that the aircraft did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace and were not considered a threat.
“Norad will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and match presence with presence,” the command said.
Putin launches new nuclear-capable ballistic missile ‘superweapon’
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By Aiya Zhussupova and Will Stewart
VLADIMIR Putin tested a new nuclear-capable ballistic missile that the world has “never seen” before.
The “superweapon” is considered capable of avoiding Western detection thanks to its unpredictable maneuvers.
The supposed advanced rocket was launched last week from the Kapustin Yar test site – leaving a bizarre trail of smoke behind.
The intercontinental missile was seen “waltzing” in the sky over different regions of Russia and even Iran.
Shocked witnesses captured the unusual “pirouettes” on camera, with the clips showing swirls of white smoke.
The Russian Defense Ministry refused to name the secret rocket fired from a mobile missile launcher.
But he boasted of the success of the tests, adding that “the objectives were fully met” – without further details.
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