Russia scrambled a Su-30 fighter to intercept a US reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea, Defence Ministry officials said on Friday.
The Russian air control detected a target approaching the Russian border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea on Tuesday, Defence Ministry officials said in a statement here.
The Su-30 fighter then took off and the pilot visually identified the air object as a US reconnaissance aircraft P-8A Poseidon at a safe distance, Xinhua news agency reported.
The statement said the Russian jet performed a manoeuvre to "greet" the pilots of the US plane, the latter then changed route and flew away from the Russian border.
The Su-30 fighter then returned to its airbase.
--IANS
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