Russian Tu-142MK Aircraft Escorted by US and Norwegian Fighters Over Arctic and Pacific Oceans

Three of the Russian bombers were performing a scheduled mission over the Barents and Norwegian Seas, while another four planes flew over the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Defence Ministry said, stressing that the flights were conducted in strict compliance with international regulations.

Russian anti-submarine Tu-142MK aircraft have conducted flights over the Barents and Norwegian seas, as well as over the Pacific Ocean, and were escorted by fighters from the United States and Norway, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday.

According to the ministry, Norway scrambled F-16 fighters to escort the Russian bombers over the neutral waters of the Norwegian sea. US F-22 fighters escorted Tu-142MKs as they were flying over the neutral waters of the Northern Pacific.

Russian officials stressed that the flights were conducted in strict compliance with international regulations and that the aircraft did not violate the borders of other nations.

Last week, the Defence Ministry stated that four Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers had been escorted by US F-22 fighters at certain stages of their scheduled flight at the border between the countries.