The Russian Ministry of Defense has dispatched two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic supersonic bombers, an Antonov An-124 cargo plane and a long-range Iljushin Il-62 aircraft to Venezuela. All four planes landed successfully on Monday at Caracas International Airport in Maiquetía, the military department’s press office reported.
The over 10,000-kilometer flight passed through the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea „in strict compliance with international aviation regulations,“ quotes RIA Novosti the statement.
At certain sections of the route, Russian military aircraft were accompanied by F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft of the Norwegian Air Force.
The festive reception of the Russian aircraft was attended by the Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez and representatives of the Russian Embassy in Venezuela. For the last time Russian Tu-160 bombers were delivered to the Bolivarian Republic in 2013.
