Russian military increases Pacific flights, U.S. general says

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- The Russian military has stepped up activity in the Pacific Ocean, with flights of bombers off the California coast and around the island of Guam, a U.S. general said.

Speaking in Washington Monday to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Gen. Herbert Carlisle said Russian Tu-95 bombers have remained in international airspace but have “come with their long-range aviation off the coast of California. They’ve circumnavigated Guam,” he said.

Guam, an American territory in the Pacific Ocean, is the location Anderson Air Force Base, used by the U.S. military for bomber flights across the ocean.

Russian flights and naval activity have also increased around Japan and the Korean peninsula, Carlisle noted, adding, “It’s to demonstrate their capability to do it. It’s to gather intel. We relate a lot of that to what’s going on in the Ukraine.”

The Russian flights have been seen over Europe as well. In late April, Dutch fighter jets intercepted two Tu-95 planes that flew into Dutch airspace. The planes were escorted away without incident.