Donald Trump’s long range bombers flew from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and made their way over NATO member Estonia as the former Soviet state celebrated its Independence Day
American B-52H bombers spotted in the air over Estonia
Donald Trump today flew American B-52H bombers less than 50 miles from the Russian border over frontline NATO state Estonia.
The show of strength came as the ex-Soviet state – seen as the Alliance country most vulnerable to Russia – marked its Independence Day. The flight of the nuclear capable B-52H Stratofortress bombers accompanied by F35s and F-A18 fighters over eastern Estonia came as Europe also marked the third anniversary of the start of Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The long range bombers flew from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The mission – the second in a week to the Baltic – came amid claims by politicians in European countries that the US was abandoning the continent’s security, which Washington has guaranteed since the Second World War.
Yet the flight indicated that the US is still anxious to protest the NATO frontline. The flight came as prominent Russian war pundit and propagandist Sergei Mardan warned that Putin will seek to grab back control of the Baltic states, Estonia and its neighbours Latvia and Lithuania.
“They are absolutely right to be concerned,” he said. “Looking at the map, it is clear that their concern, it is objective, their historical fate is predetermined. Whether they are NATO members, [or] not NATO members. In the foreseeable historical perspective, these so-called states will not exist,” Mardan added.
According to Estonia, which has been a NATO member for the last 20 years and also shares a border with Russia, Putin is planning to double its soldiers across the borders of the Baltics. Kaupo Rosin, director-general of the Estonian intelligence service, said: “Russians are planning to increase the military force along the Baltic states’ border but also the Finnish border.
“We will highly likely see an increase of manpower, about doubling, perhaps. We will see an increase in armed personnel carriers, tanks, artillery systems over the coming years.”
An Estonian intelligence report suggested Russian forces stationed on its border may almost double from the 19,000 that were posted there before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The report also indicates also that along the border with Finland, a new Russian army corps may be established and consisting of two or three manoeuvre units with additional support units.
