Planes join Russian naval war games

MOSCOW, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The Russian navy says it is in the final stages of its first major exercises in the North Atlantic in 15 years.

Military officials at the Kremlin said Monday that an air force contingent had joined the exercises, including a number of nuclear-capable strategic bombers and frontline Su-27 Flanker fighter planes.

Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky told the RIA Novosti news agency that the maneuvers running through Feb. 2 would focus on simulated reconnaissance missions as well as bomb runs and missile strikes against a simulated enemy task force.