Russian bombers fly Alaska, Canada coasts

MOSCOW, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Russia resumed long-range military flights along the coasts of Alaska and Canada after a 17-year hiatus.

The two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers participated in scheduled exercise drills that began Tuesday and were to end Friday, Itar-Tass reported.

The bombers, monitored on their flights by NATO planes, returned to their home airfield Thursday via the North Pole, Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky told Itar-Tass.

Russia resumed long-range flights to remote areas on order from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has said the flights are a security precaution and not a military escalation.