Russia on Saturday dispatched a pair of nuclear-capable bombers over Belarusian airspace in a patrol mission that lasted four hours, showcasing close defense ties between the two allied nations. “Two Tu-22MZ long-range bombers of the Aerospace Forces completed a patrol mission in the Belarusian air space,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported. “The long-range aircraft in the course of their flight practiced joint tasks with the air force and air defense force of the Belarusian armed forces,” it added. Also part of the patrols were Su-30 fighter jets flown by both Russian and Belarusian forces. In September, Moscow based a number of the Russian-made two-seated super-maneuverable twin-engine aircraft in Belarusian territory. The plane can fly up to 3.5 hours without refueling. Tu-22M3 bombers are capable of carrying nuclear missiles, including hypersonic ones designed to evade sophisticated Western air defenses. The pair of …