Russian President Vladimir Putin flew on a modernized Tu-160M strategic missile carrier, which lasted 30 minutes, 10 minutes shorter than expected, given preliminary information from his press secretary Dmitry Peskov. It is also known that pre-flight preparation took approximately another 45 minutes. The head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, and the first president of the republic, Mintimer Shaimiev, came to see the president off on his flight (it was in his honor that Putin suggested yesterday to name the missile carrier).
Putin's flight took place along a top-secret route, but the starting and ending points are known: the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov.
Military secret
Returning from the skies to earth, Putin shared his impressions, noting that he had only positive emotions. According to him, the modernized Tu-160M is a "reliable new aircraft," "excellent technology".
Putin described the Tu-160M as a "really new machine" with high reliability and improved handling. The Tu-160M, developed by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is the largest and most powerful supersonic missile carrier in the history of military aviation with variable wing geometry.
It handles better, it is visible even to the naked, unprofessional eye. Very high reliability. Armament. This is a new plane. The Tu-160M missile carrier can be accepted into the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
It is known that the new Tu-160Ms are equipped with modern weapons, an electronic warfare system, and advanced onboard equipment. Comfort was also not forgotten - according to the president, the missile carrier "even has a block where crew members can relax." It is not reported whether Putin managed to appreciate all the delights of the recreation area.
It is worth noting that this is not the first flight of President Putin on a military aircraft in the last 20 years. In March 2000, Vladimir Vladimirovich flew from Krasnodar to Chechnya on a SU-27 interceptor fighter, and in 2005 he flew on the strategic Tu-160 "Pavel Taran" to the area of exercises of long-range aviation of the air force and the Northern Fleet.
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Not just a "White Swan": Putin proposed naming the Tu-160M after the first president of Tatarstan
