Russian and Chinese bomber aircraft patrol Sea of Japan

Tu-95MS aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and Hong-6K strategic bombers of the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) patrolled airspace over the Sea of ​​Japan and the East China Sea. The mission lasted for 13 hours. South Korean and Japanese aircraft patrolled Russian and Chinese airplanes in the mission, the Russian Defense Ministry said, TASS reports.

"Russian Aerospace Forces and Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China conducted joint air patrols in the Asia-Pacific region," the ministry said in a statement.

Sukhoi Su-30SM aircraft of Russian Aerospace Forces provided fighter escort for the air group. At certain stages of the route, the aircraft were accompanied by South Korea's F-2 and Japan's F-15 warplanes.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the relationship between Russia and China was not subject to external influences. There is a powerful driving force in this relationship, the official noted, adding that Russia and China are most important close neighbor states for each other.