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By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
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Russian jets were scrambled to prevent two U.S. military long-range bomber aircraft from crossing over into Russia, Moscow's Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
Russian MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighter jets identified two U.S. Air Force B-52H heavy bombers closing in on the border after Russia detected aerial targets over the Barents Sea, the Kremlin said in a statement posted to social media.
The Barents Sea sits north of Finland, Sweden and Norway, as well as northwestern Russia.
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"As the Russian fighters approached, the U.S. strategic bombers turned away from the State Border of the Russian Federation," Moscow said in a statement.
The Russian aircraft "safely returned to their base airfields," it added. "The flight of the Russian fighters was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters, observing safety measures."
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Air Force for comment.
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Russia occasionally reports scrambling jets to intercept aircraft belonging to NATO countries approaching its airspace. Earlier this month, Moscow said its airspace control systems covering the Barents Sea had detected a Norwegian Air Force P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft heading for its border on July 10.
Russia scrambled an MiG-31 fighter jet, and the Poseidon "turned away" from Russian airspace, the defense ministry said at the time.
Moscow said in March that one of its MiG-31 fighter jets had been scrambled to intercept two U.S. Air Force B-1B strategic bombers over the Barents Sea. In September 2023, Russia said a MiG-31 had met a U.S. Navy P-8A approaching its airspace in the same area.
NATO countries also scramble jets when the alliance's members detect Russian aircraft approaching their airspace.
B-52H bombers, also known as the Stratofortress, is a long-range heavy bomber that can carry conventional and nuclear weapons.
B-52Hs are part of what is referred to as the U.S.'s nuclear triad, which consists of the bombers, along with ground-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched missiles.
In a non-nuclear conflict, B-52s are used for a variety of roles, including strategic attack and close-air support.
In early June, Russia's military started military drills in the Barents Sea that included two nuclear-powered submarines. On June 19, Russian state news agency Tass reported that the navy's Northern Fleet's nuclear submarines had "conducted live missile fire at a sea target in the Barents Sea," citing a statement from the fleet.
Russia's Northern Fleet is based in the Barents Sea on the coast of the Murmansk region.
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