The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation confirmed that Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the long-range aviation carried out a scheduled 13-hour mission over international waters of the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, in the country’s Far East, on September 24, 2025.<br /><br />According to the official statement, the aircraft were escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM multirole fighters and conducted in-flight refueling during the operation.<br /><br />The ministry stressed that, at certain stages, the Russian aircraft were accompanied by foreign fighters, emphasizing that all flights were conducted “in strict compliance with international airspace regulations.”<br /><br />The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported that it detected and tracked two Tu-95 bombers and two Russian Su-35 fighters inside Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).<br /><br />In response, an E-3 early warning aircraft, four F-16 fighters, and four KC-135 tankers were deployed to monitor and intercept the Russian aircraft.<br /><br />“Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. This type of activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat,” NORAD stated.<br /><br />The Russian Ministry of Defense affirmed that long-range bomber missions are routinely carried out over neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific, Baltic, and Black Seas.<br /><br />NORAD highlighted that the ADIZ is not defined by international treaties but serves as an additional military monitoring zone, providing extra reaction time in case of hostile actions.<br /><br />Source and images: Telegram @mod_russia
