روسيا اعلنت اليوم انها ستيذا دوريات للقوات الجوية في مناطق البحر الكاريبي وخليج المكسيك
The Russian Air Force is to begin regular long-range overflights from the Arctic region down to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico as tensions with the West continue, Moscow announced on 12 November.
Strategic bombers, strike aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), and tankers, are to conduct the long-range flights under plans announced by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu.
"Under the prevailing circumstances we need to ensure a military presence in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans, the waters of the Caribbean basin, and the Gulf of Mexico," he said. No further details, such as whether or not such long-range patrol had already begun, were disclosed.
Earlier in 2014 Russia disclosed that it was in negotiations with a number of Central American and Caribbean countries about possible basing rights. These included Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Other regions and countries were also named at that time, including the Seychelles, Singapore in the Asia-Pacific region; as well as Algeria and Cyprus in the Mediterranean.
Shoigu's announcement comes at a time of heightened tension between Russia and the West over the situation in Ukraine, with NATO and the US Department of Defense (DoD) reporting "an alarming" rise in Russian air activity over recent weeks.
On 28 and 29 October NATO fighters scrambled to intercept more than 20 Russian aircraft undertaking "an unusual level of air activity" in international airspace across Europe. These intercepts were primarily conducted over the Baltic region, but ranged as far south as the Atlantic coast of Portugal. In response, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, told reporters: "We certainly don't see these increased flights and activity as helpful to the security situation in Europe."
While such long-range Russian overflights were commonplace during the Cold War they largely ceased in 1992 with the break-up of the Soviet Union. However, in 2007 President Vladimir Putin restarted them during a period of declining relations with the West and they have continued since then at a level largely dependent on the current political climate between Russia and the West.
According to NATO, the alliance has conducted more than 100 intercepts of Russian aircraft in 2014, which is about three times more than were conducted in 2013.