Two Russian strategic bomber planes have carried out routine flights over the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea off the north coast of NATO-member Norway, the defence ministry said on Monday.

Russia regularly flies its Tu-95МС long-range bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear missiles, over international waters.

The flight lasted five hours and was carried out "in strict compliance with international airspace regulations", the ministry said.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)