The announcement was made by Russia’s Ministry of Defence. Russia illegally annexed the region of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Since then the two nations have been in a drawn-out standoff.
The Defence Ministry was cited as saying the fighter jets’ deployment was to the overhauled Belbek air base in Crimea where the fighter jets would be permanently stationed.
The move came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Ukraine was planning an unspecified “provocation” near Crimea before the new year.
Tensions have been boiling over between Russia and Ukraine since Russian troops commandeered three Ukrainian navy ships travelling into the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea via the Kerch Strait on November 25.
The conflict came to an end after Moscow seized Ukrainian ships and imprisoned roughly 24 Ukrainian soldiers – some of whom were wounded.
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Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and tensions between the two neighbours flared up after Russia seized the Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews.
The confrontation took place in the Strait of Kerch, which is a strategic naval crossing point for both Russia and Ukraine.
Russia claimed Ukraine had provoked the attack, with president Putin saying at the time: “This is a dirty game within Ukraine.
“It is a provocation initiated by the current authorities, and I think by the Ukrainian president, in light of the upcoming elections to be held next year.
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“The incident in the Black Sea happened, it is a border incident, no more.”
Despite Putin’s claims, researchers later determined Russia had pursued Ukraine into international waters.
The UK spoke to condemn the bellicose actions last month.
The Foreign Office said in a statement: “Russia’s continued disruption of ships attempting to access Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov is destabilising the regional economy.
“Restrictions on freedom of passage have been accompanied by an increase in Russia’s military presence in the sea.”
Many analysts believe that Russia is trying to make it harder for Ukraine to use key ports surrounding Crimea.
The Pentagon also condemned the action in a statement, saying: “Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea near the Kerch Strait is a dangerous escalation in a pattern of increasingly provocative and threatening activity.”