Two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers performed a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"Two Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers performed a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean. The flight lasted about eight hours. The crews of Su-35 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces provided fighter support for the flight," the ministry said in a statement.

The strategic bombers performed their flight in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace, Russia’s Long-Range Aviation Commander Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash stressed.

"Pilots of long-range aircraft regularly perform flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the Northern Atlantic, the Black and Baltic Seas and the Pacific Ocean," the commander said.