Russia says its jets escorted US craft away from border

The US aircraft did not cross the border and the fighter jets returned to their home airfield, Russia added

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that it scrambled fighter jets to escort two United States strategic bomber planes away from the Russian border as they flew over the Baltic Sea.

Read | Japan says scrambled jets after Russian planes seen off coasts

"The crew of the Russian fighter aircraft identified the aerial targets as two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers," it said in a statement.

The US aircraft did not cross the border and the fighter jets returned to their home airfield, it added.