Russian Bombers Join Chinese Air Patrol Near Japan as Tensions Rise

FMT

Two Russian Tu-95 bombers were detected flying from the Sea of Japan toward the East China Sea to join two Chinese H-6 bombers.

Russian strategic bombers have joined Chinese aircraft in a joint air patrol near Japan, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets and voice renewed concern over growing military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow.

Japan’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that two Russian Tu-95 long-range bombers linked up with two Chinese H-6 bombers over the East China Sea and western Pacific. The aircraft were accompanied by Chinese J-16 fighter jets, while additional Russian assets — including an A-50 early-warning aircraft and two Su-30 fighters — were detected in the region.

Tokyo said the joint patrol flew close to Japanese airspace, although it did not violate it. Nevertheless, the operation was described as a “serious security concern” and a deliberate show of force at a time of increasingly strained relations between Japan and China.

Japan’s Self-Defence Forces scrambled fighter jets in response, tracking the formation throughout its flight.

China’s Defence Ministry later stated that the patrol was part of “annual cooperation arrangements” between the two countries, insisting it was not directed at any third party. Russia issued a similar statement, framing the mission as routine strategic coordination.

However, Japanese officials noted that the latest patrol comes amid heightened friction with Beijing over maritime disputes, as well as China’s growing military activity near Japan’s southwestern islands. It also follows deepening defence cooperation between China and Russia, who have expanded joint exercises since the start of the Ukraine war.

The United States has previously warned that the increasing alignment between the Chinese and Russian militaries poses a challenge to regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Tokyo reiterated that it will continue to monitor regional airspace and maritime approaches closely.

Sources: Reuters, Geo News, Al-Jazeera, and The Japan Times


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