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| UK jets 'chase Russian bombers' | UK jets 'chase Russian bombers' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The UK's Royal Air Force has launched fighter jets to intercept eight Russian military planes flying in airspace patrolled by Nato, UK officials say. | The UK's Royal Air Force has launched fighter jets to intercept eight Russian military planes flying in airspace patrolled by Nato, UK officials say. |
| Four RAF F3 Tornado aircraft were scrambled in response to the Russian action, the UK's defence ministry said. | Four RAF F3 Tornado aircraft were scrambled in response to the Russian action, the UK's defence ministry said. |
| The Russian planes - said to be long-range bombers - had earlier been followed by Norwegian F16 jets. | The Russian planes - said to be long-range bombers - had earlier been followed by Norwegian F16 jets. |
| Russia recently revived a Cold War-era practice of flying bombers on long-range patrols. | |
| A Norwegian officer, Lt Col John Inge Oegland, told the BBC the Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bombers flew in international airspace from the Barents Sea to the Atlantic, before turning back. | A Norwegian officer, Lt Col John Inge Oegland, told the BBC the Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bombers flew in international airspace from the Barents Sea to the Atlantic, before turning back. |
| Two Norwegian F-16s shadowed them on Thursday morning and another two went up later, he said. | Two Norwegian F-16s shadowed them on Thursday morning and another two went up later, he said. |
| There have been several similar incidents in recent months, Lt-Col Oegland added. | There have been several similar incidents in recent months, Lt-Col Oegland added. |
| "Norway is following the increased Russian activity in the far north with interest," he told the BBC News website. | "Norway is following the increased Russian activity in the far north with interest," he told the BBC News website. |
| He said the Russian flights were not causing alarm in Norway. "Our systems are adequate," he said, when asked whether Norway was bolstering its security in the area. |