AMERICAN nuclear-capable B-52 bombers are said to have left the UK and flown a loop around Vladimir Putin's WW3 enclave Kaliningrad.
The mission was reportedly intended by the Nato Alliance as a warning to Russia about what its members are capable of.
The mapped-out route taken by the bombers, tracked by UK Defence Journal, showed that the aircraft departed the UK.
They then flew to Russia and circled Kaliningrad, which is surrounded by EU and Nato members Poland and Lithuania, before returning to the RAF Fairford base.
The US Air Forces in Europe confirmed that two B-52H Stratofortress aircraft flew over "the Baltic region" on Tuesday, and were escorted by Spanish F-18 Hornets, German Air Force Eurofighters Typhoons, and Polish MIG-29 aircraft as part of Bomber Task Force (BTF) 24-3 operations.
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Spokesman 1st Lt Joe Hark told The Sun: "BTF 24-3 is a demonstration of NATO Allies and partner nations’ ability to seamlessly operate together to maintain a stable and prosperous Baltic Sea region.
"This sends a strong message to potential adversaries, deters aggression, enhances stability, and assures Euro‐Atlantic publics."
The exercise is understood to have been meant as a deterrent, specifically to Russia.
Kaliningrad, Russia's most westerly territory and the headquarters for Putin's Baltic fleet, is currently stuffed with nuclear-capable missiles.
Russia is thought to be trying to redraw its territorial waters to steal areas near the cities of Baltiysk and Zelenodradsk in the region.
Four US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers arrived at the UK's Royal Air Force Fairford earlier this month to begin BTF Europe 24-3.
Nato's Allied Air Command said in a statement: "Landing at Royal Air Force Base Fairford, United Kingdom, May 20, 2024, a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress demonstrates the ability to forward posture strategic bombers within the European theatre, enabling critical touchpoints with NATO Allies."
The unit aims to "integrate" with Nato Allies, "synchronise capabilities and assure security commitments across the US European Command area of responsibility," the press release noted.
It continued: "The regular and routine deployments of US strategic bombers provide critical touchpoints to train and operate alongside Allies whilst bolstering a collective response to any global threat.
"The missions also enable crews to maintain a high state of readiness and validate the US Air Force’s global strike capability in multi-domain operations.
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"BTF 24-3 will demonstrate Agility in a dynamic security environment and global strike capabilities in support of assurance and deterrence objectives also in a NATO context with one focus on the Baltic region."
In January, Putin taunted the West by flying over the Baltic Sea into the heart of Europe, skirting four Nato states.
The tyrant flew from Moscow over the Gulf of Finland between Nato states Finland and Estonia.
His so-called "Flying Kremlin" plane then hugging the coasts of ex-Soviet states Latvia and Lithuania before landing in Kaliningrad.
Some who tracked the B-52 flight around Kaliningrad said the US aircraft refuelled over Lithuania on its way back to RAF Fairford.
The Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
The Sun contacted the US Office of Public Affairs for more information.
