Germany’s Russia Ombudsman Warns of NATO-Moscow War

Germany has warned that the parallel military activity of NATO members and Russia towards their respective borders could lead to war, public broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported Thursday.

Speaking to local media, Berlin’s representative on Russia at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Gernot Erler, who is a member of the junior partner of Germany’s coalition government, warned a military buildup could cause “an uncontrollable situation, to the point of war.”

WEST: NORAD Head Says Russia Increasing Arctic Long Range Air Patrols

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – While Russian military aircraft have stepped up their activity everywhere from the North Sea to the Baltic to the Black Sea in the last year they have also been spotted more frequently closer to the U.S. territory in the Arctic, the head of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) told USNI News on Tuesday.

In particular – flights of Tupolev Tu-95 Bear ‘H’ Bombers have increased recently NORTHCOM’s Adm. Bill Gortney said.

Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets to Track Russian Bombers

From the state-run Russian propaganda outlet, RIA Novosti:

TOKYO, July 16 (RIA Novosti) – Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force had to scramble fighter jets in response to flights by Russian military aircraft near Japanese airspace and over the disputed Kuril Islands on Monday, local media reported.

Two Tu-95 Bear bombers flew over the Sea of Japan moving from the Korean Peninsula, and proceeded along the Japanese archipelago to the north of Hokkaido. Another plane, the IL-20, flew over the Kuril Islands, NHK television said late Monday citing the Defense Ministry.