Putin Sends Nuclear Bombers Over English Channel: ‘Transponders Turned Off… Invisible to Air Traffic Control’

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t been one to back down in response to sanctions against his country and attacks on his economy. Rather, he has stepped up not only his rhetoric, but his military activities as well.
His latest move is yet another show of force to let the West know Russia is prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect its interests.
The U. K.’s Royal Air Force scrambled fighter jets on Thursday after a pair of nuclear-capable Russian bombers flew across a busy civilian air traffic corridor above the English Channel. The bombers had their transponders turned off, British officials said, making them invisible to many air traffic control systems. The incident disrupted multiple flights – and ended with the U. K. government demanding the Russian ambassador appear at the Foreign Office to explain the actions.
This latest incident comes on the heels of similar flyovers by nuclear bombers along the west coast of the United States from Alaska all the way down to California. It has even been speculated that Russia may have tested a new weapon last year leading to a shut down of Los Angeles commercial air traffic control systems.
Earlier this morning former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said that the U. S. and Russia are engaged in another cold war but warned that it could well go hot should tensions between the two nations continue to escalate.

This post was published at shtfplan on January 30th, 2015.