Russian Strategic Bombers Fly Over Baltic, Norwegian Seas

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have carried out a routine flight over international waters in the Baltic and Norwegian seas.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian strategic bombers have carried out a routine flight over international waters in the Baltic and Norwegian seas, the Russian Defense Ministry announced early Thursday.

"Long-haul Tu-22M3 bombers have performed routine flights over neutral waters of the Baltic and Norwegian seas," the ministerial statement read.

It said the planes were followed by Belgian air force’s F-16 jets, Finnish F-18s, US F-15s and F-16s, and Swedish JAS-39s for more than an hour.

The Russian military stressed its strategic planes have been carrying out routine missions in the Arctic, Atlantic, the Black Sea and the Pacific in line with an agreed schedule. All flights are in line with the international rules and do not violate the airspace of sovereign nations.