MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. A Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jet was scrambled to intercept two spy planes of the French Navy and the UK Air Force and prevent them from violating the Russian state border, Russia’s National Defense Control Center reported on Thursday.

Russian airspace control systems detected two air targets over the neutral waters of the Black Sea approaching Russia’s state border on August 20, the Center said.

"A Su-30SM fighter from the Southern Military District’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to identify the air targets and prevent them from violating the Russian state border," it said.

"The Russian fighter’s crew approached the aerial objects at a safe distance and identified them as a French Navy Atlantique-2 reconnaissance aircraft and a UK Air Force Sentinel R1 surveillance plane," the National Defense Control Center said.

The French and UK spy planes were not allowed to violate the Russian state border, it stressed.

The Russian fighter’s entire flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace. After the NATO planes flew away from Russia’s state border, the Su-30SM fighter safely returned to its home airfield, the statement says.

On August 19, a Russian Su-27 fighter shadowed a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane over the Black Sea. Also on August 19, a Su-27 fighter was scrambled to intercept a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea.