Russian bombers have flown to the US island of Guam in the Pacific in a surprise manoeuvre reminiscent of the Cold War era.
Two Tu-95 turboprops flew this week to Guam, home to a big US military base, Russian Maj Gen Pavel Androsov said.
They "exchanged smiles" with US pilots who scrambled to track them, he added.
The sorties, believed to be the first since the Cold War ended, come as Russia stresses a more assertive foreign policy, correspondents say.
The flight is part of a pattern of more expansive Russian military operations in recent weeks, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus.
I wonder if there is more than just Putin's fondness for Cold War nostalgia going on here. Russia has been increasingly irrelevant when it comes to the geopolitical framework of the Pacific rim. As China expands its military capacity (and Japan as well), the trend of Russian marginalization will only continue. Reviving old tactics in the face of a vastly different security situation may just underscore how poorly situated Russia is to be a substantial "factor" in the region.
As for the U.S. security apparatus in the Pacific, I'd say the Russians are nowhere near their biggest worry.
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