World Teetering on Brink of Thermonuclear War: Russian fighter jets, bombers and helicopters fire and evade missiles in spectacular 'military Olympics' tournament

Aviadarts competition is designed to test flight skills and precision shooting

It is being held this year at Pogonovo range in Voronezh region, south of Moscow

Aircraft must destroy land-based targets using rockets, machine guns and cannon, and overcome anti-aircraft defence

Nations understood to have previously taken part include Egypt, Iran, Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan and China

Russian jet fighters, missiles racing through the sky and great plumes of smoke...

Thankfully, this is not the beginning of World War Three but, rather, an aerial tournament, known as Aviadarts.

The self-styled 'military Olympics' competition is designed to test flight skills and precision shooting and is being held this year at the Pogonovo range in the Voronezh region, south of Moscow.

During the Aviadarts Tournament, aircraft must destroy land-based targets using rockets, machine guns and cannon, and overcome anti-aircraft defence.

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A Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jet performs at the Aviamix airshow, the opening event for the 2017 Aviadarts military aviation competition in Russia

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The competition is designed to test flight skills and precision shooting and is being held this year at the Pogonovo range in the Voronezh region, south of Moscow. Above, a Mil Mi-26N heavy lift cargo helicopter of the Berkuty [Golden Eagles] aerobatic team performs in the show

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During the Aviadarts Tournament, aviation must destroy land-based targets using rockets, machine guns and cannon, and overcome anti-aircraft defence. Pictured, a Mil Mi-26N heavy lift cargo helicopter lands a Tigr [Tiger] multipurpose infantry mobility vehicle

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Featuring 60 crews of planes and combat helicopters, it takes place from June 14 to 27 - and these images show them performing during the Aviamix airshow, the opening event of the tournament

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Aviadarts is one of the most spectacular competitions of the 'International Military Games', the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement

Featuring 60 crews of planes and combat helicopters, it takes place from June 14 to 27 - and these images show them performing during the Aviamix airshow, the opening event of the tournament.

The aircraft can be seen showing off their accuracy and aerobatics as they soar in perfect symmetry.

As well as fighter jets, other military hardware taking part include heavy-lift cargo helicopters from the Berkuty [Golden Eagles] aerobatic team and strategic bombers.

Aviadarts is one of the most spectacular competitions of the 'International Military Games', the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement, according to Sputnik News.

The national leg of the annual competition was first held in Russia in 2013.

Among the other nations understood to have competed in the past at Aviadarts are Kazakhstan, China, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Kuwait and Mongolia.

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Servicemen in a Tiger multipurpose infantry mobility vehicle let rip some firepower during the competition

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The aircraft can be seen showing off their accuracy and aerobatics as they soar in perfect symmetry. Pictured, Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jets release FAB-250 high explosive bombs

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The national leg of the annual competition was first held in Russia in 2013. Above, a Mil Mi-26N heavy lift cargo helicopter of the Berkuty aerobatic team

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Servicemen take pictures of the air action. Among the other nations understood to have competed in the past at Aviadarts are Kazakhstan, China, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Kuwait and Mongolia

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Want to see a really good acrobatic display? Britain's Red Arrows put on a show in the skies above Silverstone, Northampton

A Russian fighter jet chased off a NATO aircraft after it buzzed a plane carrying defence minister Sergei Shoigu over the Baltic Sea, Russian news agencies have said.

The F-16 had tried to approach the aircraft carrying the defence minister even though it was flying over neutral waters, agencies said today, before a Russian Sukhoi-27 turned up to warn it off.

Shoigu was reported to be en route to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad for a meeting to discuss how well Russia's western flank was defended.

In dramatic footage appearing to show the incident unfolding, a Sukhoi-27 can be seen flying between an F-16 and another plane before tilting its wings. The F-16 then seems to fly off.

Dramatic footage captured the moment a a Russian fighter jet (left) chased off a NATO aircraft after it buzzed a plane carrying defence minister Sergei Shoigu over the Baltic Sea

In the video said to have been taken of the incident, the F-16 (pictured right) can be seen being chased off by the Sukhoi-27 (left)

Pictured: The F-16 coming very close to the plane containing defence minister Sergei Shoigu

The report comes as Sweden summoned Russia's ambassador today after a fighter jet flew unusually close to a Swedish reconnaissance plane in international airspace above the Baltic Sea, a further sign of rising military tensions in the region.

Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist slammed Russia as 'unprofessional' and urged Moscow to avoid incidents like this again.

During the incident involving the Russian defence minister, it was reported that the Russian jet sent to warn off the NATO fighter inserted itself between Shoigu's plane and the NATO fighter and tilted its wings from side to side to show the weapons it was carrying.

After that, agencies said the F-16 left the area.

Pictured: A map showing the possible route the defence minister's plane could freely take over the Baltic Sea

Recently the Baltic Sea has become an area of rising tensions between Moscow and NATO.

The Swedish incident - which occurred on Monday - prompted a strong reaction from Sweden's government.

The Swedish Armed Forces said in a statement that it was not unusual for Russian planes to approach and identify Swedish surveillance missions.

'This time, however, the Russian aircraft behaved in such a way that it has to be considered noteworthy, among other things the distance between the aircraft was at times very short,' it said.

Pictured: Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, with President Vladimir Putin

Earlier this month, Russia scrambled a fighter jet to intercept a nuclear-capable US B-52 strategic bomber it said was flying over the Baltic near its border, in an incident that had echoes of the Cold War.

The Kremlin referred questions about the latest incident to the defence ministry, which did not immediately comment.

It has said in the past that all Russian flights over the Baltic are conducted in strict accordance with international law.

Sukhoi-27

The Russian fighter jet reportedly lifted its wings to show the weapons it was carrying to the NATO fighter. Pictured: Stock images of a Sukhoi-27 jet, left, and an F-16, right

- Weapons: Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-301 autocannon capable of firing 1,800 high explosive or armour piercing rounds per minute and Vympel R-73 and Vympel R-27 air-to-air missiles - the latter capable of flying 80 miles at mach 4.5 to reach its target

- Hardpoints (weapons slots): 10

- Top speed: 1,320mph

- Country of origin: Russia

- First built: 1982

- Basic cost: $30m

- Manufacturer: Sukhoi

- Number in service: 809

- Used by: Several forces, including the air forces of Russia, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Vietnam and Angola

F-16

Pictured: The American-made F-16, which was first produced in 1973

- Weapons: M61 Vulcan Gatling gun capable of firing 6,600 rounds of 20mm calibre bullets per minute, AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles capable of hitting targets up to 111 miles away and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles capable of hitting targets 22 miles away using infrared homing

- Hardpoints: 9

- Top speed: 1553mph

- Country of origin: USA

- First built: 1973

- Basic cost: Between $14.6 and $18.8m

- Manufacturer: General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin)

- Number in service: 4,537

- Used by: 26 forces, including the air forces of the USA, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Pakistan and ChileThe incident occurred a day after the Russian defence ministry said an RC-135 US reconnaissance plane had swerved dangerously in the proximity of a Russian fighter jet over the Baltic.

The ministry said at the same time that another RC-135 had been intercepted by a Russian jet in the same area.

The Pentagon had a different version of events.

Apparently referring to the same episode, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the U.S. aircraft 'did nothing to provoke this behaviour.'

The Pentagon said the intercept had been unsafe and accused the Russian pilot of flying too fast and having 'poor control' over his SU-27 fighter jet

The Trump administration has committed what may turn out to be a fatal mistake, and by fatal, I mean not just to the Trump regime but to the entire globe. Trump has surrendered control of the US Military machine to the Pentagon – the President, the Secretary of Defense, all of the politicians no longer control or guide the US military, the Pentagon now holds the reins.

What is really disturbing and scary about this is that the Pentagon is, quite frankly, utterly insane; the place is riddled with fundamentalist Christians, Dominionists obsessed with fulfilling the ‘End Times’ prophecy.

No, this is not an outline for a new Dr Strangelove movie, this is absolutely real. We find a succinct description of the Dominionist mindset in an essay written by Gavin Finley MD:

It is a belief that this world can, and must, be conquered for Christ by militant action undertaken by the Christian Church.

Dominion Theology incorporates a Crusader mindset. It teaches that it is our Christian duty to take over the world, in a political sense, and if necessary, in a military sense, in order to impose Biblical rule. Christ will not return, (they say), until the church has “risen up” and “taken dominion” over all of the world’s governments and institutions.

Dominionists affirm that this is not a matter for us to discuss. As they see it, this is a direct unequivocal mandate from God. We are not to wait upon God, (they say). They say that He is waiting for US! And they are insistent, even bullying, in their demand that we follow them in their wild ride towards world dominion.

So now we have a bunch of religious maniacs who firmly believe they must conquer the world on the orders of God in control of the the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons on the planet. These same maniacs are currently pumping US troops and weapons into Syria in what appears to be a blatant attempt to start a shooting war with the Russians.

Don’t anyone make the mistake of thinking for even one second that these Christian nutjobs in the Pentagon would hesitate to launch a full out thermonuclear first strike against the Russians and anyone else who tried to stand in the way of their attempts to do what they see as God’s bidding.

We are truly closer to the brink now than we have ever been….