Russia claims first-ever North Pole aerial refuelling
Russia claims that two maritime patrol aircraft have made a 30-hour Arctic flight, including mid-air tanking near the North Pole.
“For completing a unique mission – the first in the history of the Navy to refuel a Tu-142MK aircraft in the North Pole region – the crews were awarded an entry in the Book of Records of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” the press service in Severomorsk said.
“The Northern Fleet’s aviation forces executed this unprecedented mission,” the press service added.
The Navy didn’t provided details or the exact date for the apparent exercise more than saying it happened in 2025. The Barents Observer hasn’t been able to independently confirm the information.
Based at the airport Severomorsk-1 on the Kola Peninsula, the Tu-142MK is the Northern Fleet’s long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
The planes are frequently identified by Norwegian F-35 fighter jets when they fly in international airspace over the Barents and Norwegian Seas. On January 6, NATO Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) launched two F-35 from Evenes airbase to visually identify a Russian Tu-142 approaching Norway’s area of interest in the north.
The air force said on Facebook that its fighter jets were scrambled 41 times in 2025, and identified a total of 52 Russian planes. The numbers are broadly the same as in recent years.
When taking off for QRA-missions, Norway’s F-35s are fully armed with an internal cannon, short-range and medium-range air-to-air missiles.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Russia and China co-operating more often and more closely in the Arctic, says NORAD commander, CBC News
Denmark: NATO discussing next steps to ensure Arctic stays safe, Rutte says
Finland: Only Greenland and Denmark can decide on their own future says Finnish President, Yle News
Greenland: Greenland’s government says it should be defended by NATO, Reuters
Iceland: NATO chief to Arctic Allies: “We’re all frontline states now,” as Iceland’s role grows, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: “We want to be Europe’s most integrated region in terms of defence”, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russian navy chief accuses NATO of stepping up spying activities in the Arctic, TASS reports, Reuters
Sweden: Sweden critical of Trump’s latest push for Greenland, Radio Sweden
United States: The U.S. already has leverage in Greenland, so why is Trump escalating? Experts weigh in, Eye on the Arctic
