The Russian military stated on Thursday that four Russian warplanes had been scrambled to escort three American В-52Н bombers spotted near the Russian border. This reported by Sputnik.

According to the Defence Ministry, Russian airspace control devices detected three air targets approaching the nation's airspace over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea.

"To identify air targets and prevent illegal entrance into Russian airspace, two pairs of MiG-31 and Su-35 fighters from the air defence forces of the Eastern Military District took off", the Russian National Defence Control Centre said.

The Russian fighters identified the air targets as B-52H strategic bombers from the US Air Force Global Strikes Command and escorted them over the Bering Sea, the centre said, adding that any illegal entrance into the country's airspace was prevented.