On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin flew on a Tu-160M strategic bomber in what was likely a propaganda stunt aimed at the West to remind the United States and its allies of the nuclear capability of his country.
Codenamed Blackjack by NATO, the swing-wing plane was originally a Cold War-era bomber that was created and deployed by the former Soviet Union and was designed to deliver nuclear payloads over long distances.
State television showed Putin climbing down a ladder after the flight and telling reporters of the modernized and reliable planes' capabilities and the likelihood that it would be accepted by the Russian Air Force.
"It's a new machine, a lot about it is new. It's easier to control. It's reliable," said Putin.
Putin is up for election next month and will likely win a new six-year term in a landslide next month.
The flight was made at a time when Moscow and its Western adversaries are at odds over the war in Ukraine and the recent death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison.
Some observers in Russia and the United States say that they cannot recall a time when relations between the two countries were this bad, including the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
The Russian media has given the planes the nickname "White Swans." Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, said the bomber's flight path was classified but that it had lasted 30 minutes.
The Tu-160M is manned by four and is capable of carrying 12 cruise missiles up to 7,500 miles without refueling.
Russian nuclear doctrine states that the president can consider using a nuclear weapon as a response to a nuclear attack or other weapon of mass destruction or the use of conventional weapons against Russia if the existence of the state is under threat.
In October, Putin reportedly stated that the existence of the Russian state was not being threatened and that "no person of sound mind and clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia."
The newly modernized Tu-160M bombers are expected to be delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2027 for $163 million each.
The plane was modernized by Tupolev, the original manufacturer, and is said to be 60% more effective, with significant improvements to weapons, navigation, and avionics.
