The Russian Air Force sent an Su-30 fighter on Saturday to intercept a US MQ-9A Reaper spy drone over the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“The crew of the Russian fighter identified the aerial target as a US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper spy drone,” the department, headed by Sergei Shoigu, said.

“After the approach of the Russian fighter, the foreign spy drone made a turn and moved away from the Russian state border.. The Russian plane returned to its base after avoiding the violation of the Russian state border,” Defense added.

According to the military command, “the flight of the Russian fighter was carried out in strict accordance with the international regulations for the use of airspace over neutral waters.”

Last March, two Russian fighters shot down an American drone over the Black Sea with their maneuvers, considering that it was a “provocation” by the United States, “by violating the limits of the temporary airspace restriction zone” established by Russia around Crimea.

More recently, in early July, for two consecutive days Russian planes “harassed” US spy drones in Syrian airspace with maneuvers that endangered the safety of these aircraft.