VLADIMIR Putin rattled Britain at Christmas by sending hulking Tu-95MS strategic nuclear bombers on a menacing long-range flight over the Norwegian Sea.
Nato was forced to scramble warplanes to track the Russian “Bears” as they prowled close to the UK’s northern approaches amid soaring tensions over the war in Ukraine.
Moscow boasted of the mission, saying: “Tu-95MS long-range bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces made a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea.”
“The flight duration was more than seven hours.”
The bombers were escorted by Su-33 fighter jets from the Russian Navy, underlining the muscle behind the message.
Russia also acknowledged NATO shadowing the aircraft, adding: “At certain stages of the route, long-range bombers were escorted by fighter jets of foreign countries,” without naming which allied air forces moved to intercept.
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The war game flight appeared a calculated Kremlin move to needle the West at Christmas.
Russia, by contrast, celebrates Christmas on 7 January under the Orthodox calendar.
The Norwegian Sea lies to the northeast of Scotland, between Norway and Iceland – uncomfortably close to British airspace.
The Tu-95MS “Bears”, first flown in the 1950s, remain a central pillar of Putin’s nuclear triad.
Deafeningly loud and unmistakable, the Tupolevs are the world’s only propeller-powered strategic bombers.
Beyond nuclear signalling, the same aircraft have been used to launch devastating missile strikes on Ukraine, leaving widespread death and destruction.
It comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a dark Christmas message that appeared to hint at the death of Vladimir Putin after Russian forces unleashed a new wave of strikes on Ukraine.
His address was broadcast only hours after Kyiv proposed freezing the front line and setting up demilitarised zones, in a bid to secure a Christmas peace breakthrough.
Speaking to the Ukrainian citizens on Christmas Eve, Zelensky said: “My dear people, since ancient times, Ukrainians believed that on Christmas night, the heavens open.
“And if you tell them your dream, it will surely come true. Today, we all have one dream. And we have one wish for everyone: ‘May he perish,’ as everyone says to themselves.”
Zelensky appeared to refer to Putin, before adding: “But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater.
“We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. And we pray for it. And we deserve it.”
Zelensky also expressed hope that goodness and truth would prevail.
He added: “That there may be a victory of peace. That there may be us. And that there may be Ukraine.”
His address came as Russia pressed on with its blitz of Ukraine, hitting critical energy infrastructure on Christmas Eve.
At least one person was injured as the strikes slammed into the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy.