Russia's Doomsday Plane Has Been Spotted Flying Around

Russia;s "Doomsday Plane". Gizmodo

Russian "Doomsday Plane" Spotted Flying By Finland Border -- Zero Hedge

The last time the Russian "Doomsday Plane" was seen in the air doing its trademark loops at 27,000 feet telegraphing Vladimir Putin was somewhere nearby, was on March 31, just days after the formerly Ukrainian region was annexed by the Kremlin. Until today, when over the past 4 hours, the Tu-214 has been quietly circling in position just shy of Finland and the Baltics, where as it is known, NATO has been depositing hundreds of western soldiers in a "defensive" build up.

What is the "Doomsday Plane"? Here is a reminder:

The Tupolev Tu-214SR is a Russian Special Mission Aircraft believed to act as a communication relay aircraft. This kind of aircraft is often dispatched by the Russian Air Force to accompany Putin’s presidential aircraft on its travels and for this reason it is considered the Russian version of the U.S. E-4B, a so-called “doomsday” plane, with an airborne command and control role.

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My Comment: On a visit to my uncle in Saint Petersberg a few years back .... he pointed out this plane to me at the airport (a civilian airport at that). I will never forget that plane .... and the massive security that was around it.

If the Russians are making it known that this plane is flying around (and they are making it known) .... they are sending a signal that the Ukraine crisis is a few steps away from a military escalation.