The U.S. military says it intercepted two Russian bombers in international airspace off Alaska’s coast.
Navy Commander Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, says a pair of F-22 Raptor aircraft intercepted the Russian TU-95 Bear bombers on Monday.
Ross says the intercept was “safe and professional.”
North American Aerospace Defense Command monitors air approaches to North America and defends the airspace.
Fox News said Tuesday the Russian planes flew within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of Alaska's Kodiak Island.
It said the American jets escorted the Russian bombers for 12 minutes. The bombers then flew back to eastern Russia.
President Donald Trump has recently adopted a skeptical view on the possibility of improving relations with the Kremlin.
"Right now, we are not getting along with Russia at all. We may be at an all-time low in terms of relationship with Russia," Trump said at a White House news conference last week.
.@POTUS: It would be wonderful...if NATO and our country could get along with Russia. Right now we are not getting along with Russia at all. pic.twitter.com/CmwC9IYCiM
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 13, 2017
Cox Media Group
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