Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken to the skies again and taken a ride in a new supersonic strategic bomber. What may have motivated him to do this was his desire to present himself as a strong man to his people…
According to the Interfax news agency, the flight with the TU-160M from the military airport in Kazan lasted about 30 minutes. Putin made the decision to fly the day before during a visit to the aircraft factory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He did not want to reveal the route in advance. This is a military secret.
On Wednesday, Putin viewed the Tupolev bomber in the factory hall in Kazan and also sat in the cabin. After the test flight, the Kremlin chief himself assessed the bomber as very modern and reliable. “We are receiving new technology, super technology,” Putin said. He ordered that the bomber be taken over by the armed forces.
Appearance and reality…
With the flight, Putin will probably want to present himself to the Russians as a strong commander-in-chief against the backdrop of his ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine. Unlike Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin, who sent 300,000 troops to the front during a partial mobilization, has avoided going there since the start of the war. The strongman image is also expected to earn him a record result in the presidential elections in mid-March. Putin wants to be elected for the fifth time. His victory is considered certain – also because the approved opponents support him or do not have their own profile.
It is not Putin’s first flight in a military aircraft. He first served as a co-pilot in a Su-27 fighter plane in March 2000. Even then – shortly before his first presidential elections – he presented himself as a tough guy against the backdrop of the ongoing second Chechen war. Later he was in other fighter jets, including an old TU-160.
The Tupolev TU-160M is the modernized variant of the Soviet supersonic aircraft TU-160. In 2018, Russia resumed production of the strategic bomber, which could fire both conventional and nuclear-armed cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
