Russian bombers, which include several dozen Russian planes, what appear to be strategic bombers and fighter jets have reportedly been spotted hovering over the skies of Crimea. According to The Daily Star, the Russian bombers have been seen by witnesses and experts above the Moscow-controlled peninsula of Crimea.
President Vladimir Putin is reportedly poised and ready to visit Crimea on Friday, according to Russian media. He will be visiting the cape of Crimea after overseeing the main military parade on Red Square when Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The AFP reports Sunday that a local aviation expert has sighted Russian bombers - a number of planes over the peninsula's main city of Simferopol on Saturday. These include supersonic heavy strategic bombers and heavy military transport aircraft. According to the expert, he had also seen refuelling tankers and MiG-29 jets.
Another expert named Alexei Savich has shown footage of the aircraft. He said that a Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jet could be seen among the planes, the Russian bombers. He was also able to acknowledge the tankers and military transport planes.
The Daily News reports that several local residents have also been able to see the Russian bombers thunder over the peninsula. Local residents from Simferopol and the neighbouring town of Bakhchisarai saw the planes.
Local resident Arzy Khaibulaeva told AFP, "It was a bit scary. Children were frightened." She added that the Russian bombers were flying low and some even appeared to be re-fuelling in mid-air.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry have declined to comment on the issue of Russian bombers on Sunday. According to Savich, Moscow might be moving "some serious military aircraft" to the peninsula. He told AFP, "Russia is most likely ramping up its military presence on the peninsula."
Russian bombers have now been spotted over the skies of Crimea. Before this seeming threat, Putin sent troops to Ukraine's Russian-speaking peninsula in March and said he had to protect the local population after an uprising driving out Ukraine's Moscow-backed president.
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