Chinese and Russian strategic aircraft, including Tupolev-95 long-range “Bear” bombers, flew combined patrols over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea on Wednesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

The military of South Korea had claimed that it had launched fighter jets in response to the entry of two Chinese and six Russian aircraft into its air defense zone.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, foreign fighters “followed the strategic missile carriers at certain stages of the journey.”

It said Russian and Chinese aircraft “acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law” and that no foreign airspace was violated.

It was the first time that Russia and Chinese military aircraft landed in each other’s airfields as part of a joint air patrol, the ministry said.

The Tupolev Tu-95, known by NATO as “Bear”, along with the Tu-160, is the backbone of Russia’s long-range air attack nuclear forces. It was designed to drop nuclear bombs on the United States in the Cold War.