MOSCOW, November 11. /TASS/. Two Russian Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers conducted a patrol over Belarus and were escorted by Su-30SM fighters of the Belarusian Air Force, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"Work continues to practice joint measures by the Air Force and air defense troops of the armed forces of Russia and the Republic of Belarus. Today, on November 11, two Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bombers of the Russian Aerospace Force conducted a patrol in the airspace of the Republic of Belarus, in which the issues of their fighter support by Su-30SM aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force were practiced," the ministry said.

The Russian strategic bombers escorted by the Belarusian fighters conducted their joint air patrol "for the purposes of ensuring military security of the [Russia-Belarus] Union State and these measures are not aimed against third countries," the ministry stressed.

The military pilots successfully coped with their task, demonstrating impeccable flight skills, it said.

The patrol also "showed a high level of interoperability of the Russian and Belarusian crews throughout the flight," the statement says.

The flight lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. Over this time, the strategic bombers covered a distance of over 3,000 km. All the aircraft returned to their home airfields, the ministry said.