Russian bombers have flown 70 missions

MOSCOW, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Russian bombers have made 70 patrols over the country's borders since August, the air force commander of strategic services said Tuesday.

Major Gen. Pavel Androsov said at a news conference there also have been 217 practice missile launches in that period, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

President Vladimir Putin announced in August the resumption of air patrols over the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans. The patrols had been dropped in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

NATO planes from the United States, Britain, Norway and France escorted the Russian jets on many of their patrols, Androsov said.

On the missions, bomber crews practiced early identification of targets and counter-interception tactics.