The Russian Defense Ministry refuted Iceland's claim that Russian strategic bombers flew dangerously close to civilian aircraft over the Norwegian Sea.

Reykjavik claimed on Monday that three Tu-160 bombers reportedly flew 6,000-9,000 feet below a flight heading from Iceland's capital to Stockholm, Sweden, last week.

"The claims of Iceland's pilots and diplomats concerning an allegedly dangerously clpse flight to a civilian airliner by Russia's long-range aircraft over the Norwegian Sea are no more than a figment of their imagination," ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

Konashenkov stressed that the Russian aircraft were following a mapped patrol route with switched-on transponders at a safe distance from civilian aircraft and without crossing airways.