...Russia held wargames last week in the Urals involving troops from Russia and China and four central Asian states. Moscow has infuriated Georgia after a Russian missile landed on the outskirts of its capital, Tbilisi. Much of the military posturing is for internal consumption, ahead of parliamentary elections in December and a presidential poll in spring. Pictures showing a shirtless Mr Putin on a fishing trip have been a source of national pride.

The U.S. appears relaxed about this newfound Russian machismo. After all, Washington's defence budget is at least 20 times bigger than Moscow's. And U.S. generals are unperturbed by the Russian Bears close to its airspace. Brigadier-General Richard Sherlock, director of international security operations, was asked at a Pentagon briefing on Thursday about Russian flights close to Guam and Alaska. U.S. planes had been scrambled, but he played down the significance: "Militaries all over the world conduct a variety of operations. This is not something new."

Sean McCormack, the U.S. state department spokesman, said last week: "If Russia feels as though they want to take some of these old aircraft out of mothballs and get them flying again, that's their decision."

Anatol Lieven, a Russia specialist at the Washington-based New America Foundation, said it was clear Moscow was going to ramp up its response to President George Bush's controversial missile defence project in eastern Europe.

"It indicates to the U.S. that this move is not cost-free and shows the Russian population that the government is still acting toughly to defend Russian prestige abroad," he said. "It is depressing but it is not a new cold war..."

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