Russian nuclear bombers buzz Guam.
In American air defense zones.
U.S. military officials have reported as many as 16 incursions of Russian bombers into American air defense zones, according to the Washington Free Beacon. While Russia dismisses the claim, U.S. officials theorize it's a way for the country to show its strength and gather intelligence on American defenses.
The incursions took place primarily in the Alaskan air defense identification zone, according to the Free Beacon.
"These are not just training missions," one official told the Free Beacon, adding that the Russian jets look to be "trying to test our air defense reactions, or our command and control systems."
Are we at the brink of a new cold war?
The incursions come amidst heightened U.S.-Russia tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "We relate a lot of that to what's going on in the Ukraine," Gen. Herbert Carlisle, commander of U.S. air forces in the Pacific, said during a briefing. "It's a combination of things that's to demonstrate their capability to do it."
Of course, the U.S. can't completely throw its hands up and claim it hasn't been doing anything like this. Early this week, an American spy plane was eavesdropping on Russian military forces when Russia began to track it on radar. The plane accidentally hit Swedish airspace after Russia sent a few aircraft its way.
America's plan of action
The biggest volley from the U.S., though, was far from secret: President Obama announced harsh sanctions on Russia late last month hitting banking, agriculture and, to the chagrin of some U.S. gun owners, firearm making.
World Bulletin: 09. August 2014
Russia detects, 'expels' presumed US submarine
Virginia-class attack submarines with increased payloads of Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The report from Russia from could be the latest sign of increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington over the crisis in Ukraine.
The Russian Northern Fleet's anti-submarine force has detected a foreign submarine in the country's boundary waters and "expelled" it, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed spokesman for the Russian Navy Main Staff.
A foreign submarine, presumed to be a U.S. Navy Virginia-class vessel, was detected by Northern Fleet forces on duty in the Barents Sea on Aug. 7, the spokesman said.
A U.S. Defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, could not confirm the incident and had no comment on the Russian claim.
"An anti-submarine attack group and an Ilyushin Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft were sent to the said area to search and track the sub," the Russian navy spokesman was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.
Ilyushin Il-38 - anti submarine warfare aircraft
"The Northern Fleet anti-submarine forces' active manoeuvres expelled the submarine from the Russian Federation's boundary waters."
The report from Russia from could be the latest sign of increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington over the crisis in Ukraine.
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