MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - A Russian fighter jet, MiG-31, has "intercepted" a Norwegian reconnaissance aircraft over the Barents Sea, Russia's National Defense Control Center said on Tuesday.
"A MiG-31 from a Northern Fleet air defense patrol mission was scrambled to intercept the target," reads a statement obtained by Interfax.
"The Russian fighter crew approached the aerial object from a safe distance and identified it as a Falcon-20 radio reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft of the Royal Norwegian Air Force," the statement reads.
"After the reconnaissance aircraft turned away from the Russian Federation's national border, the Russian fighter safely returned to base," the statement reads.
The MiG-31 flew the whole time strictly in accordance with the international rules for airspace use, the military said.
"Violation of the Russian national border by the RNoAF reconnaissance aircraft has been prevented," the statement reads.
The approaching target was spotted by Russian airspace monitoring devices over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea, the military said.