Bombers Tu-22M3 carried out planned flights over neutral waters of the Baltic and Norwegian seas, reports RIA Novosti, citing the Russian defense Ministry.
At the same time on separate stages of the route of the Russian bombers were accompanied by F-16 fighter jets of the Belgian air force, F-18 Finnish air force, F-15 US air force and the JAS-39 Swedish air force for 70 minutes, and F-16 fighter jets of the U.S. air force for 27 minutes.
The Ministry said that the long-range aviation pilots regularly performs flights over neutral waters of the Atlantic, the Arctic, the Black sea, the Pacific ocean as the base, and with operational airfields in accordance with the approved plan.
All flights of the aircraft, as emphasized in the defense Ministry, are carried out in strict accordance with International rules of using airspace over neutral waters, the boundaries of other States are not violated.
On 9 September it was reported that the Belgian F-16 fighter jets from the mission NATO air policing in the Baltic States was accompanied in the sky over international waters of the Baltic sea, two Russian su-27 fighter.
Earlier, on 22 August, the Danish aircraft had escorted Russian Tu-142 over the Baltic sea.