Russia deploys heavy long-range Tupolev bombers at Syrian base

Three heavy, long-range Tu-22M3 bombers have been posted to the Russian Khmeimim air base in western Syrian, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has announced. The base’s  runways were especially lengthened and broadened to accommodate them. The announcement added that this “supersonic, variable sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber” will conduct surveillance sweeps across the Middle East and the Gulf at a range of 5,000km