Russia scrambles fighter jets to escort U.S. strategic bombers over Black Sea

A view from a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet shows, what the Russian Defence Ministry identified as a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber and KC-135 military refueling aircraft flying over the Black Sea, in this still image taken from video released on October 20, 2021. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia scrambled two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to escort a pair of U.S. B-1B strategic bombers over the Black Sea, Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday, an incident that coincided with a visit to the region by the U.S. secretary of defense.

The supersonic U.S. Cold war-era planes were originally designed to carry nuclear bombs and missiles but now carry conventional payloads.