*WASHINGTON: Two US fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers ininternational airspace off the coast of Alaska on Friday.*
The Russian TU-95 “Bear” bombers flew into a so-called Air DefenseIdentification Zone located about 200 miles off Alaska’s west coast, atabout 10 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), North American Aerospace Defense Commandspokesman Canadian Army Major Andrew Hennessy said in a statement to CNN.
Two Alaska-based NORAD F-22 fighter jets intercepted and visuallyidentified the Russian bombers until they left the identification zone andthe Russian aircraft never entered US airspace, CNN reported, citing thestatement.
Russian bombers TU-95 and TU-142 were escorted by two F-22 fighter jets ininternational airspace for 40 minutes, the RIA news agency cited theRussian Defence Ministry as saying on Saturday.