MOSCOW – Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers made scheduled flights overthe neutral waters of the Japan, Yellow and East China seas.

South Korea and Japan scrambled fighter jets to escort them, the RussianDefence Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

“Two strategic Tu-95MS bombers of the Aerospace Forces performed scheduledflights over the neutral waters of the Japan, Yellow and East China Seas.During the flight, long-range aircraft were accompanied by crews of Su-35Sfighters and an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft of theAerospace Forces”, the ministry said.[image: Air-to-air refuelling of Tupolev Tu-95MS]

It said that at certain stages of the route, the Tu-95MS crews wereescorted by South Korea’s F-15 and F-16 and Japan’s F-2 fighters, addingthat the pilots performed flights in strict accordance with theinternational airspace use rules, without violating the borders of otherstates.