An American strategic bomber B-52 Stratofortress (“Stratospheric Fortress“) flew in formation over Estonia near the Russian border on February 24, writes The War Zone website.
This date is not accidental – On February 24, NATO member Estonia celebrates its independence, but it is also the date on which Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine three years ago.
Flying over Tallinn, the B-52 strategic bomber was in formation with four F-35 stealth fighters (of the Royal Netherlands Air Force) and two Finnish F/A-18 Hornets.
Analysts say that this flight is a very clear signal to Vladimir Putin that NATO will respond if Russia allows itself to attack the eastern flank of the alliance. The Boeing B-52 can carry a nuclear arsenal.
The flight was carried out against the backdrop of information that Washington is preparing to withdraw its troops from the Baltic states. No such decision has been made at the moment, and the presence of the B-52 Stratofortress near the Russian border is a signal to the contrary: namely, NATO's only response to the Russian threat.
Russia has announced that it will stop the war against Ukraine only under conditions favorable to Moscow, which in practice mean the capitulation of Kiev. Kiev-Washington relations have deteriorated since the inauguration of Donald Trump, who is negotiating with Putin without the presence of Ukrainian or European representatives. There are concerns that Trump wants to achieve a quick peace in Ukraine, which, however, will not be sustainable and will only pave the way for new Russian aggression.
On 24 February, the Finnish Air Force trained together with a 🇺🇸 B-52 Stratofortress bomber and 🇳🇱 F-35s in Estonian airspace. The training session was concluded with a flyover above Tallinn in honor of Estonia’s Independence Day.🇪🇪⁰#ilmavoimat #StrongerTogether #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/NGwQOXuE85
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) February 24, 2025