Two US F-22 fighter jets escorted Tu-95MC Russian strategic bombers over the Arctic Ocean, the Interfax news agency cited the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on Friday.
The interception took place south of the Aleutian Islands, a chain of volcanic territories belonging to both the United States and Russia.
At no time did the Russian aircraft encroach United States or Canadian airspace, according to Michael Kucharek of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
“Two Alaskan-based NORAD F-22 fighters intercepted and visually identified two Tu-95 ‘Bear’ long-range bomber aircraft flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, south of the Aleutian Islands,” a spokesman for the US military told Free Beacon.