Russian bomber planes conducted a flight over the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea in the Arctic, prompting “foreign fighter jets” to escort them, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The exact date of the flight by the Tu-95 bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, was not disclosed.
No details were provided about the foreign countries that deployed their fighter planes to monitor the bombers’ movements.
According to the ministry, the flight lasted over seven hours and took place in international airspace over the waters north of Scandinavia and northwest of Russia.
“Tu-95MS strategic bombers (…) of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a planned flight in the airspace above the international waters of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea, north of Scandinavia and northwestern Russia," the Russian ministry said.
“During certain stages, the strategic bombers were accompanied by fighter jets from foreign countries.”
The Russian ministry said that they carry out these missions regularly and conducted in various areas around the globe, emphasising that they adhere to international law.
In mid-December, South Korea and Japan raised concerns about flights of Russian and Chinese military aircraft near their territories, which prompted both nations to deploy fighter jets in emergency.
Japan reported that the December patrol involved two Russian Tu-95 bombers flying above the Sea of Japan to meet two Chinese H-6 bombers over the East China Sea, before jointly circling Japan’s airspace.
