B-52 operates along Russia’s border
February 26, 2025
The US surprised and dismayed its allies when it voted against a UN resolution condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, aligning itself with Russia, North Korea, Israel and a handful of Russian client states in the third world. This came on top of bullying and blustering criticisms of supposedly ‘delinquent’ NATO nations who, Trump averred, were not pulling their weight in paying for their own defence.
While President Trump, Vice President Vance and Secretary of Defence Hegseth have raised fears that the US is disengaging from its NATO allies (with Hegseth stating that the United States “is no longer the primary guarantor of security in Europe”), the USAF continues to play a crucial role in the alliance.
For now.
One of the B-52H Stratofortress bombers deployed to RAF Fairford on BTF 25-1 demonstrated this commitment on 24 February – Estonian Independence Day and the third anniversary of the illegal and barbaric full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The B-52H made a high profile show of force in the Baltic region under Exercise Vanguard Pelican.
The nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress bomber was joined by RNLAF F-35As and Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) F/A-18 Hornets in the flight over eastern Estonia. The training session concluded with a flyover above Tallinn in honour of Estonia’s Independence Day. The B-52H took off from Fairford shortly before 0700 am and returned at around 1640 pm.
Estonia is sometimes considered to be the most vulnerable NATO member to Russian aggression.
