Warning or routine? Timing of Russian jet fly-past into Japan raises questions

A near-incursion of Russian fighter jets into Japanese airspace last week was a bid by Moscow to intimidate Tokyo amid strengthening ties with Washington, observers warned. And unless there was a breakthrough in US-Russia relations, it was unlikely that ties between Moscow and Tokyo would thaw even under new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, they said. Japan said it scrambled jets last Friday to monitor Russian warplanes, including strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons,...