Three Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers conducted an extensive five-hour exercise on Thursday over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, after taking off from Olenya Air Base in northern Russia.br br The activity was first reported by OSINT analyst AviVector on his X page.br br According to the specialist, one of the aircraft acted as a “relay”, ensuring communication between the other two bombers and ground command posts. The mission also involved continuous air cover provided by Su-27 and Su-35S fighters, responsible for securing the airspace throughout the operation.br br The presence of the Russian bombers in the region triggered a NATO air response. Sweden scrambled JAS 39 Gripen fighters, while Italy deployed Eurofighter Typhoons from bases in Sweden and Estonia.