So, Russia is “flexing” its muscles by running jaunts into the Atlantic and long distance flights that might result in the US intercepting those flights.

Gee, who would have thunk that Putin’s trying to distract his people from the crappy economy and fact that sagging oil prices are having a bad outcome on his oligopoly. He’s playing a real dangerous game, particularly by sending off aircraft over Europe without their transponders on. That might result in unintended consequences - namely mid-air collisions that no one wants.