MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's strategic aviation started Wednesday an active phase of military exercises to fly over the North Pole and conduct test launches of cruise missiles, an Air Force spokesman said.

"Currently, four Tu-160 [Blackjack], 12 Tu-95 [Bear-H] strategic bombers, 14 Tu-22 [Backfire-C] theater bombers, and four Il-78 [Midas] tankers are in the air. Today and tomorrow they will conduct simulated bombing raids and more than ten cruise missile launches at the Pemboi range near Vorkuta [in Russia's Arctic], and fly over the North Pole, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Alexander Drobyshevsky said.

The spokesman said six long-range aviation regiments were involved in the exercises to practice interaction with fighter aircraft, air refueling, and overcoming of enemy air defenses.

Units of the 37th Air Army of the Strategic Command will conduct a total of six tactical exercises in August as part of an annual training program, the Defense Ministry earlier said in a statement.

According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 bombers, 40 Tu-95MS bombers, and 14 Tu-160 planes.