MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/. Russia’s MiG-29 fighter escorted Norway’s Falcon 20 and P-3C Orion planes over the Barents Sea on Thursday, the National Defense Control Center said.

According to the Russian military, Russian radars identified two air targets over the international waters of the Barents Sea.

"For identifying the air targets and preventing violations of Russia’s state borders a MiG-29 fighter of the Northern Fleet’s air defense was dispatched. The crew identified the air targets as a patrol plane P-3C Orion and a radio-technical reconnaissance and radio-electronic warfare plane Falcon 20 of the Norwegian Air Force," the Defense Control Center said, adding that there was no violation of Russia’s state border.

The Russian fighter jet escorted the foreign planes over the Barents Sea. When they turned away, the MiG-29 returned to its home airfield.

"The MiG-29 fighter’s flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using air space," the National Defense Control Center said.

On September 5, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the intensity of NATO’s reconnaissance flights near Russia’s borders had grown more than 30% in contrast to last year - from 87 in August 2019 to 120 in August 2020. On August 23 - September 2 Russia’s Aerospace Force planes flew no less than ten sorties to intercept spy planes over the Baltic, Barents and Black seas.