Russia Celebrates Crimea Takeover by Deploying Nuclear-Capable Bombers

Ahead of the concert and rally outside Kremlin to celebrate the anniversary of Russia's takeover of Crimea from Ukraine, reports have emerged that Russia is deploying dozens of nuclear-capable supersonic bombers in Crimea.

Several Tupolev Tu-22M, which is a supersonic, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber, are due to arrive in Crimea as part of a snap military drill announced by Russia early on Monday.

"In the course of snap combat readiness drills of the armed forces strategic rocket Tu-22M3 aircraft are going to be deployed to Crimea," a source in Defence Ministry told Sputnik News.

The supersonic bombers come armed with a range of air-to-sea cruise and ballistic missiles, besides high-precision bombs.

Russia is also beefing up its presence in the Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea by bolstering the Kaliningrad Region with Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile complexes and additional fighter jets and bombers, the source said.

Early on President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet and paratrooper units to go on full alert as part of snap military exercises in the Arctic. The Reuters report, citing the RIA news agency, had stated that nearly 40,000 servicemen, 41 warships and 15 submarines are participating in the snap military drill.

Meanwhile, Russia, defying the West and the protests by Ukraine, will be holding a week-long celebration to mark the anniversary of its annexation of Crimea.

On 18 March, Putin is expected to appear before a crowd outside Kremlin. A special concert has also been organised to celebrate the event, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.