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Russian fighter intercepts US reconnaissance plane over Black Sea

No violations of the state border of the Russian Federation were allowed, Russia’s Defense Ministry noted

MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. A Su-30 fighter of Russia’s Aerospace Force intercepted a US Navy reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry’s National Defense Control Center reported on Friday.

"On December 10, 2021, Russian airspace control systems detected an aerial target over the neutral waters of the Black Sea approaching Russia’s 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 Russia’s state border, the National Defense Control Center said. "The Russian fighter’s crew identified the aerial target as a US Navy P-8A reconnaissance aircraft and shadowed it over the Black Sea. No violations of the state border of the Russian Federation were allowed," Russia’s Defense Ministry stressed.

"After the foreign plane made a U-turn from Russia’s state border, the fighter safely returned to its home airfield," the National Defense Control Center said.

The Russian fighter’s flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace over neutral waters without crossing air routes or flying dangerously close to a foreign aircraft, Russia’s Defense Ministry stressed.

Russian Su-27 fighters were scrambled on December 9 to shadow French and US Air Force planes during their flight over the Black Sea.