MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers carry out flights to the Chukotka region according to schedule and are not aimed at bullying the United States, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Sunday.

"We are now doing what we did before. Our strategic and long-range bombers have started to conduct flights to areas where they used to fly in the past. These flights are carried out according to schedule," Shoigu said, when asked about two Tu-160 bombers that had flown to the Anadyr air field and then returned to the Saratov region in southern Russian as part of an exercise.

Shoigu added that the US was aware of the Russian aircraft’s flights.

"How is it possible to bully your neighbors using strategic bombers?" the Russian defense minister added.