On July 21, 2024, two American B-52 Stratofortress bombers were involved in a training exercise over Finnish airspace, accompanied by two KC-135 and one KC-46 air tanker aircraft. The flight, originating from Norway and over Lapland, was part of joint exercises aimed at improving interoperability between allied forces. The operation adhered to Finnish national laws and regulations.

At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian fighter jets intercepted the same two American B-52 bombers near the Barents Sea in the Arctic, preventing them from approaching Russian airspace. According to the ministry, the American bombers changed course as the Russian jets approached and withdrew from the Russian border.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions in the region, with regular U.S. military flights over international waters seen as provocative by Moscow. Russia’s response reflects heightened sensitivities and concerns about potential direct military confrontations, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and previous incidents involving U.S. reconnaissance drones over the Black Sea.