MOSCOW: A Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted two US reconnaissance planes flying over the Black Sea, the Defence Ministry here said.
"On August 12, Russian airspace control systems detected two air targets approaching the Russian state border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea," Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service as saying.
A Su-27 fighter jet of the Southern Military District was scrambled to intercept the targets, it said.
The crew of the fighter jet identified the aerial objects as US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 and US Navy patrol aircraft P-8A Poseidon, it added.
After the US planes flew away from the Russian state border, the Su-27 returned to its airfield, Zvezda said. In the last few weeks, Russian fighter jets have been scrambled regularly to intercept US reconnaissance planes over the Black Sea. (IANS)