sortie

The first aerial sorties went up at midnight on Bastille Day, July 14.

Think of Operation Ocean Venture of the 1980s: U.S. air sorties deep into Russia from carriers improbably parked in icy Norwegian fjords ultimately convinced the Soviet top brass they could not stop us.

Meanwhile, the air force is conducting sorties to identify areas with survivors and distribute relief material.

The tempo of operations on the aircraft carrier itself has also been unrelenting - with dozens of sorties being flown round the clock.

Russian air bases in Crimea also have remained operational, hosting warplanes that have continued flying combat sorties to support its ground operations in the region.