THE HAGUE, August 21, /ITAR-TASS/. A Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 fighter jet took to the skies twice on Thursday to escort two Russian Tu-95 bombers, the Dutch Defense Ministry said.

According to the Ministry, two Russian warplanes were flying from the north accompanied by two Danish F-16 planes. A Dutch fighter jet accompanied the Tu-95s over the Dutch territory up to the British area of responsibility.

The Dutch Defense Ministry claimed that after that the Russian bombers had made a U-turn and headed for the Dutch territory for a second time. The country’s Quick Reaction Force had to raise another fighter jet on alarm that kept accompanying the Tu-95 bombers until they reached the British area of responsibility. After that, the Russian planes headed northward,” the Dutch Defense Ministry stressed.

Тhe last time Dutch warplanes took to the skies to accompany Russian bombers was on April 23.

“One of the tasks of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is to react adequately to any violations of the Dutch airspace. In pursuit of that goal, two F-16 fighter jets, incorporated in the Quick Reaction Force, will stay ready to take off at any time to ensure the country’s air security,” the Dutch Defense Ministry stressed.

Meanwhile, Japanese warplanes also had to take off Thursday to intercept two Russian bombers which had flown over the perimeter of the Japanese archipelago, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

The Tu-95 Russian strategic bombers crossed the Sea of Japan from north to south until the border of the East China Sea. After that, they flew over the Pacific Ocean along Japan’s eastern coast towards Sakhalin Island.

The Japanese Defense Ministry did not register any violations of the Japanese airspace.