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.