Japan scrambles jets after nuclear-capable Russian bombers fly close by

Japan mentioned it scrambled jets on Friday (October 24, 2025) to watch Russian warplanes, together with strategic bombers able to carrying nuclear weapons, which had flown alongside the sting of Japanese airspace up its coast.

Russia’s Defence Ministry, in an announcement reported by state-owned RIA information company, confirmed that its Tu-95 bombers had been escorted by jets from one other nation throughout what it described as a routine patrol flight over impartial waters.

The incident happened hours earlier than Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, pledged in her first speech to parliament since taking workplace to speed up a defence buildup. Ms. Takaichi mentioned Russia’s army actions, together with these of China and North Korea, had been posing a “serious concern”.

Japan’s Ministry of Defence launched a map displaying the flight path of the Russian planes off Japan’s west coast over the Sea of Japan. It mentioned the 2 Tu-95 bombers had been accompanied by two Su-35 fighters and had initially flown in direction of Japan’s Sado Island earlier than turning northwards.

“Russia conducts daily military operations around our country while invading Ukraine – this is the reality,” Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote in an X publish.

Ms. Takaichi additionally touted Japan’s “special global partnership” with Ukraine in an X publish, wherein she praised Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and its folks for his or her braveness to “stand up against the aggression day by day”.

European nations have accused Russia in latest weeks of repeated incursions with drones and jets, most just lately on Thursday, when NATO-member Lithuania mentioned Russian fighters had briefly flown into its airspace. Moscow denied that its planes conducting workout routines close by had flown into Lithuanian airspace.