Russia’s recent resumption of long-range bomber missions is not a sign of aggression and authorities are informing other countries of the flights in advance, an Air Force spokesman said today.

A US surveillance plane making a flight near Russia’s Black Sea coast turned back after Russia sent a fighter jet to investigate, an Air Force spokesman said today.

Two military helicopters collided over an airfield in Russia’s Far East today, killing five people and injuring one, in the second fatal copter crash in a week, Russian news agencies reported.