up here in canada, I see news report 1-2 a month of Russian patrol planes coming up to the canadian border before turning back, often only after CF-18's have been scrambled to intercept them. That had stopped almost completely after the cold war, but is now a more regular occurance. There was one just last week.
Quote:
Those sovereignty concerns were highlighted Tuesday with news that two CF-18 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers that came within 55 kilometres of Canada’s Arctic territory on Tuesday.
The Canadian fighters took off from their base in Cold Lake and visually identified the Russian TU-95 Bear bombers about 222 north of Inuvik, N.W.T. The two aircraft came within 55 kilometres of Canadian soil before turning around, shadowed by the fighter jets.
“Thanks to the rapid response of the Canadian Forces, at no time did the Russian aircraft enter Canadian sovereign airspace,” Harper said.
Russia has stepped up such flights – a carryover from the Cold War era – in recent years, prompting occasional tensions between Ottawa and Moscow.
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http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/852059