MOSCOW (REUTERS) - Russia scrambled fighter jets to intercept two American B-52 bombers flying over the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia's far eastern coast, the Interfax news agency cited the Defence Ministry in Moscow as saying on Friday (June 19).

The incident occurred amid increased close military encounters between the two sides.

On Wednesday, Russia said the US had scrambled fighter jets to escort four Russian nuclear-capable bombers as they carried out a planned flight near the United States border. And on Monday, Russia reportedly scrambled its fighter jets to intercept US Air Force B-52H bombers and "foreign spy aircraft" over the Baltic Sea.

Russia has accused the US and its Nato allies of encroaching upon its territory at a higher frequency in recent years.

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokeman Dmitry Peskov warned that Moscow is carefully monitoring all actions taken by Nato, Russia's news agency TASS reported.

"We are closely monitoring everything Nato does," Mr Peskov said. "The trend of Nato edging closer to our borders lives on, unfortunately."