MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - The Russian jet fighter Sukhoi Su-27 was scrambled on Saturday to intercept a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea, Russia's National Defense Control Center said.
"The Russian fighter crew approached the aerial object from a safe distance and identified it as an EP-3E Aries radio reconnaissance aircraft of the U.S. Navy," the center said in a statement obtained by Interfax.
"After the U.S. Navy aircraft turned away from the Russian Federation border the Russian fighter safely returned to the air base," it said.
"The Russian Su-27 fighter flew the entire time strictly in accordance with the international rules for airspace use. Violation of the Russian Federation border by the U.S. aircraft has been prevented."