Chebarkul (Russia), Aug. 17 (Reuters): President Vladimir Putin said today security threats had forced Russia to revive the Soviet-era practice of sending bomber aircraft on regular patrols beyond its borders.

Putin said 14 bombers had taken off simultaneously from airfields across Russia early today on long-range missions. “We have decided to restore flights by Russian strategic aviation on a permanent basis,” Putin said after inspecting joint military exercises with China and four Central Asian states in Russia’s Ural mountains.

“Today, August 17 at 00:00 hours, 14 strategic bombers took to the air from seven airfields across the country, along with support and refuelling aircraft... From today such patrols will be carried out on a regular basis.

“We hope our partners will treat this with understanding.” Many observers said the sorties were a sign of Russia’s growing assertiveness and ambitions to restore its global reach.

Western militaries have said Russian long-range flights near their airspace were becoming more frequent after a long quiet period in the 1990s when Russia’s military was struggling with under-funding.

One western defence official called the flights “a little bit of chest-pounding, trying to let people know Russia is back in the game”.