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25th December 2025
12:55pm GMT
NATO jets were scrambled after Russian jets flew close to British waters on Christmas Day.
The Mirror reports that Russian Tu-95MS nuclear bombers were deployed on a flight close over the Norwegian Sea, which lies northeast of Scotland.
The strategic bombers were accompanied by Su-33 fighter jets.
"Tu-95MS long-range bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces made a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea," Russia's defence ministry said.
"The flight duration was more than seven hours."
"At certain stages of the route, long-range bombers were escorted by fighter jets of foreign countries," Moscow said in the statement.
"All flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out in strict compliance with international rules on the use of airspace over international waters," the statement added.
They did not identify which countries' NATO jets accompanied the Russian jets.
The Tu-95MS jets, known as 'Bears', make up the bulk of Russia's nuclear triad. They are the world's only propeller-powered strategic bombers.
NATO's jets being scrambled come after Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed his country’s ‘dream’ for Putin to die in his Christmas message.
The war in Ukraine began nearly four years ago now, and Zelenskyy used his festive speech to share some choice words for the Russian leader.
“‘May he perish,’ each of us may think to ourselves,” Zelenskyy said, in reference to Putin.
“But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater.
“We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. And we pray for it. And we deserve it,” he continued.
He added: “That there may be a victory of peace. That there may be us. And that there may be Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy also reflected on the wider impact of the war across Ukraine.
“Sadly, not all of us are at home this evening, not all of us still have a home, and not all of us, unfortunately, are with us today,” he said.
“Yet despite all the hardships brought by Russia, it is incapable of occupying or bombing what matters most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity.
“We are happy when we hear the music of Christmas, but even happier when we do not hear the music of evil, when we do not hear drones and missiles flying overhead.”
Zelenskyy warned Ukraine of attacks over Christmas, with the latest Russian strike being on December 23, which killed at least three people and injured 12.
