Russia's Air Force said British and Norwegian air force jets are tracking Russian "Blackjack" bombers on exercises off the Atlantic coast, Interfax news agency reported.

Two Tu-160 strategic bombers, codenamed "Blackjack" by NATO, were being escorted by the NATO F-16 and Tornado jets, Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky, an aide to the commander in chief of the Russian Air Force was quoted as saying.

Earlier today, Russia announced it had sent the two long-range "Blackjack" bombers to the Bay of Biscay to test-launch missiles as part of what it billed as its biggest naval exercise off the Atlantic coast since Soviet times.

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