The United States downplayed on Friday Russia's resumption of flights of its long-range strategic bomber, saying "old aircraft out of mothballs" pose no threat.
"I don't think our military has those concerns about it," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters in Crawford, Texas where President George W. Bush is taking August vacation.
"Militaries around the world engage in a variety of different activities and so it's not entirely surprising that the Russian Air Force, the Russian military, might engage in this kind of activity or exercise," Johndroe said.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "If Russia feels as though they want to take some of these old aircraft out of mothballs and get them flying again, that's their decision."
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced earlier in the day that Russia was resuming flights of its long-range strategic aviation on a permanent basis.
Since 1992, Russia had unilaterally stopped flights of its strategic aviation in remote combat areas.
Washington and Moscow have been at odds since the beginning of the year over issues like U.S. planned missile shield in Europe, which Moscow opposes, and Putin's sharp attacks on U.S. global influence.
Source: Xinhua
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