MOSCOW. May 23 (Interfax) - A Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was scrambled and flew over the Baltic Sea as two U.S. B-1B strategic bombers approached the Russian state border, the National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The crew of the Russian fighter jet classed the air targets as two B-1B strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force and entered the designated air duty zone," the NDCC said.
"After the foreign airplanes moved away from the state border of the Russian Federation, the Russian fighter jet returned to its air base," it said.
"The flight was performed by the Russian fighter in strict compliance with international rules regulating the use of airspace. There was no violation of the state border of the Russian Federation," it said.
The U.S. warplanes were spotted over the Baltic Sea by Russian airspace control systems earlier on Tuesday. The two U.S. bombers were approaching the Russian state border, the statement said.
"In order to prevent a violation of the Russian state border, a Su-27 fighter jet of the standby Baltic Fleet air defense forces was scrambled," the NDCC said.
The Su-27 is a Russian-made fourth-generation fighter jet designed by OKB Sukhoi. Su-27 fighters are currently in service as part of the standby air defense forces.