MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. A Russian Su-30 fighter was scrambled to intercept a US spy plane over the Black Sea, Russia’s National Defense Control Center reported on Tuesday.

On July 13, radar stations of the Southern Military District’s air defense quick reaction alert forces detected an aerial target over the Black Sea approaching the Russian state border, the statement says.

"A Su-30 fighter of the Southern Military District’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to identify the aerial target and prevent it from violating the Russian state border," the National Defense Control Center said.

"The crew of the Russian fighter identified the aerial target as a US Air Force EP-3E Aries electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft and shadowed it," the statement says.

The US spy plane was not allowed to violate the Russian state border, it stressed.

"After the foreign military plane made a U-turn from Russia’s state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to its home airfield. The Russian fighter’s flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace," the statement says.