The U.S. intercepted two Russian fighter jets and four Russian bombers near the Alaskan coast Monday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
U.S. F-22 fighter jets “intercepted a total of four Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on May 20,” NORAD said in a statement.
The Air Defense Identification Zone extends about 200 miles from Alaska’s western coast.
“Two of the Russian bombers were intercepted by two F-22s, and a second group of bombers with Su-35 fighters was intercepted later by two additional F-22s,” NORAD said.
NORAD said the Russians stayed in international airspace “and at no time did the aircraft enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace.”
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the bombers “made scheduled sorties over the neutral waters of the Chukotka, Bering and Okhotsk seas, as well as along the western coast of Alaska and the northern coast of the Aleutian Islands.”
“At certain stages of the route, Russian aircraft were escorted” by F-22 fighter jets, the ministry said.
At certain stages of the route, Russian aircraft were escorted by #F22 fighter jets of the #USAF. The total flight time exceeded 12 hours
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) May 21, 2019
