As the war between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, the United States has flown its B-52 Stratofortress bomber over NATO’s eastern flank.
The US on Friday conducted the exercise alongside German and Romanian militaries as a sign of unity in the second weekend of the war in Ukraine.
The B-52 Stratofortress, which is the US Air Force’s largest strategic bomber, took off from RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force station in England.
A statement from the US Air Forces in Europe said the bomber carried out close air support and integrated mission training in the NATO territories including Romania where they conducted more close air support training as part of the bomber task force (BTF) missions.
CNN reports that the exercise in Romanian airspace put the bombers right on the edge of NATO countries, adjacent to Ukrainian air space.
The Russian Air Force is trying to establish air supremacy in the Ukrainian Air Space as the war rages on between the two neighbours.
“BTF rotations give us a critical opportunity to integrate and train with our allies and partners, especially during this difficult time,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, commander of United States Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa, and NATO’s Allied Air Command.
“Training together ensures the defensive power of NATO remains unmatched,” he said.
Meanwhile, US intelligence said over 200 Russian mercenaries have been killed in Ukraine.
The US and its allies also believe that Russia may deploy more lethal weapons to break down Ukrainian resistance as quickly as possible.
They warned that there will be more civilians suffering in Ukraine in days to come and also more bombardment from Russia as President Vladimir Putin and his troops look to subdue their next-door neighbours.
