MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian bombers and fighter jets spotted near Alaska on Thursday were carrying out a routine flight, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.
"On May 4, 2017, Russian long-haul strategic Tu-95MS bombers and multirole Su-35S fighters performed a routine flight over neutral Pacific waters along the Aleutian Islands," the ministry’s press office said in a statement.
The ministry stressed Russian long-haul warplanes routinely flew over international waters in the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific and the Black Sea, using bases and outposts. All flights were in line with international rules and did not violate national borders.
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) spokesperson Capt. Ashleigh Peck told Sputnik on Thursday the four planes were intercepted off the west coast off Alaska. He described the maneuver as "safe and professional," adding it was not unprecedented.
