MOSCOW, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Eight Russian fighter jets intercepted three U.S. strategic bombers over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"On September 4, Russian airspace control systems detected three U.S. B-52H strategic bombers approaching the Russian state border," the ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service said in a statement.

Four Su-27 fighters and four Su-30 fighters of the Southern Military District's air defense units on duty were scrambled to intercept the U.S. bombers over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, it added.

After the U.S. military planes flew away from the Russian border, the Russian fighters returned safely to their home airfield, according to the statement.

The entire flight of the Russian fighters strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace, it said.