Two Russian Tu-160 take off over Arctic Ocean waters following Trump's statements on Greenland
Illustrative photo: Two Russian Tu-160 take off over Arctic Ocean waters (Getty Images)
Two Russian Tu-160 bombers took off over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean. The flight was reportedly planned, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the flight lasted over 11 hours.
"Long-range aviation crews regularly conduct flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Black Sea, and Baltic Sea," the statement reads.
Russia claimed that all flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces' aircraft are conducted under international airspace usage rules.
What is interesting about these flights is that Russian planes carried out their missions amid statements by US President Donald Trump regarding the purchase of Greenland.
Trump's statements on Greenland
Trump first expressed his desire to purchase Greenland in 2019, during his first term. At that time, he stated that US control over Greenland was an "absolute necessity" for international security.
After winning the 2024 US presidential election, Trump began discussing the purchase of the island again. He also did not rule out using force to persuade Denmark (the Arctic island is an autonomous part of this country).
Specifically, yesterday Trump claimed that the US would gain control over Greenland. He believes that the island's 57,000 residents allegedly want this. Additionally, recently, Trump's allies introduced a bill on the purchase of Greenland.
Following these statements, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede said that Greenland seeks to strengthen ties with the US, but on its own terms, particularly in the areas of defense and mining industries.
At the same time, as Bloomberg reports, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen turned to her European allies for help in resisting Trump's demands to cede Greenland.
