MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. A Sukhoi-27 fighter jet of Russia’s Aerospace Force intercepted a US spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, the National Defense Command Center told the media.

Air space monitoring means identified an air target over the international waters of the Black Sea.

"For the identification of the air target and prevention of a violation of the state border a Sukhoi-27 fighter was dispatched. The crew identified the air target as the strategic reconnaissance plane RC-135 of the US Air Force and escorted it over the Black Sea," the center said, adding that no violation of Russia’s state border took place.

After the US spy plane left the area the fighter jet returned to base.

On September 5, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that that the intensity of NATO’s reconnaissance flights near Russia’s borders had grown more than 30% in contrast to last year - from 87 in August 2019 to 120 in August 2020. On August 23 - September 2 Russia’s Aerospace Force planes flew no less than ten sorties to intercept spy planes over the Baltic, Barents and Black Seas.