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RUSSIAN bombers flying at supersonic speeds caused NATO to scramble interceptors after threats from Moscow to target Denmark with nuclear missiles.

The Tu-22M “Backfire” bombers, escorted by two Su-27 “Flanker” fighters, were detected flying fast over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday Australian time. At least one of the bombers was reported to be travelling at supersonic speed in a dash towards Denmark.

The Russian aircraft were flying in international airspace without air-traffic control transponders being turned on and were maintaining radio silence, refusing to respond to calls for their intended flight path.

Italian Typhoon fighters, tasked by NATO to provide air patrol duties over the Baltic, were urgently scrambled and sent to intercept the Russian strike force. The NATO fighters also had to travel at supersonic speeds to catch the bombers.

Military blog theaviationist.com reports the supersonic Tu-22M slowed when intercepted before rejoining its three companions. Swedish and Finnish fighter jets joined the force monitoring the Russians’ movements.

It was just one of several Cold War era style probes by Russian forces in recent days. A Tu-95 “Bear” was intercepted off Japan over the disputed Kuril Islands at the weekend.

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Earlier this week Moscow threatened Denmark that it would become a target for nuclear attack if it joined a NATO missile defence program.

Denmark is considering contributing its naval radar systems to a network intended to detect and provide intercept data for NATO’s ballistic missile defence system.

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“I do not think that the Danes fully understand the consequences of what happens if Denmark joins the US-led missile defence,” AFP reports Ambassador Mikhail Vanin as saying.

“If this happens Danish warships become targets for Russian nuclear missiles.”

Moscow has also announced that it will station nuclear-capable Tu-22M bombers along with SS-26 “Stone” tactical ballistic nuclear missiles in the annexed Crimea region of Ulikraine.

In February, a Russian bomber intercepted over the English Channel was reported to be seen carrying nuclear cruise missiles designed to target and destroy submarines.

@JamieSeidel