South Korea and Japan scrambled fighter jets after Russian and Chinese military aircraft conducted a joint air patrol near both countries.

Seven Russian and two Chinese planes, including bombers and fighters, entered South Korea’s Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) on Tuesday, prompting Seoul to deploy jets as a precaution.

Japan also deployed aircraft after Russian Tu-95 bombers and Chinese J-16 fighters flew near the Tsushima Strait and Okinawa, with Japan calling the flights a serious national security concern.

The exercises were part of the 10th joint strategic air patrol by Russia and China, conducted over the East China Sea and western Pacific, Al-Jazeera has reported.

These incidents reflect ongoing military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, which regularly conduct unannounced flights near South Korean and Japanese airspace.