On Christmas Day, Vladimir Putin dispatched nuclear-capable Tu-95MS "Bear" bombers on a long-range flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas, a move that threatened northern Britain. This demonstration of Russian military power occurred amidst heightened tensions over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
NATO scrambled warplanes to monitor the Russian aircraft during their more than seven-hour flight, escorted by Russian Su-33 fighter jets. While Moscow's defense ministry stated the flight was scheduled, it was perceived as a deliberate attempt by Putin to provoke the West, particularly given its proximity to the North Pole, the traditional home of Santa Claus.
The Tu-95MS bombers, though first flown in the 1950s, remain a critical component of Russia's nuclear arsenal and have also been employed in conventional missile strikes in Ukraine. The Norwegian Sea is located northeast of Scotland, between Norway and Iceland.