Russia flying more missions near U.S. territory

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (Reuters) - Russian bombers are flying more missions than normal near U.S. territory, including Alaska, demonstrating their long-range strike capability, U.S. and Canadian officials said on Monday.
Russian aircraft carrying cruise missiles ran an aviation exercise near Alaska two weeks ago, according to Canadian Col. Andre Dupuis, an officer at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a U.S.-Canadian operation responsible for protecting both countries' airspace.
"They didn't do it to practice alone. They're making a point, doing it outside of their normal training cycle," he told Reuters. "They maintain capability."
Russian bombers were also tracked last week flying a course toward Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific.
Some analysts and defense officials say the flights likely reflect Moscow's desire to display its military muscle to remind Washington of Russia's capabilities and express dismay over U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
One defense official called the Russian flights "a little bit of chest pounding, trying to let people know Russia's back in the game."
"Over the last probably three months or so the Russians have been flying their bomber force maybe a little bit more than we've seen in the past, certainly they're ranging farther than they have in the past," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command.
"We've had a couple times where we've intercepted them out over international waters, near Alaska."
Relations between Washington and Moscow have been strained, partly by U.S. plans to put missile defense assets in former Soviet-allied territory.

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