Russian bombers used to cause little concern when seen flying. After all, it was probably just the Russian military performing some training exercises. With the conflict in the Ukraine, however, Russian bombers have now taken on an entirely new meaning for the citizens of Crimea.

AFP reports that Russian bombers have been spotted flying over Crimea over the past few days. The planes were reportedly flying low and some were even caught refueling in mid-air. While nothing has been formally announced, some take this to mean that Russia is getting serious about protecting its interests in Crimea.

Beyond protecting its interests, the planes are also a harbinger of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to Crimea. The outspoken Russian president is said to be overseeing Russia’s own V-Day celebration this week and then will travel to Crimea on Friday.

Interestingly enough, it appears that Russia is bringing out the “big guns” for his visit. According to aviation experts, the Sukhoi Su-34 could be seen among the planes flying over Crimea. This particular war plane has been designed for high-precision strikes and nuclear weapon launches. While it’s rather absurd to think Russia would ever load their plane with nuclear weapons, the use of these particular fighters does leave a lot of people on edge.

Here’s the Su-34 in action:

The other model spotted above Crimea is the Mikoyan MiG-29. This particular plane has been in production since the 80s, and continued to be built even after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of the planes flying over Crimea seem to be made up of this particular model.

Here’s the MiG-29 in action:

While these planes could simply be performing routine sweeps over Crimea, some people are really spooked. The situation in Crimea has led some to think a war is almost upon us and the presence of these planes will not calm those fears. Until the situation in Crimea and the Ukraine is resolved, the world will remain suspicious of Russia.

Image via Wikimedia Commons