MOSCOW -- Russia scrambled a Su-30 fighter to intercept a US reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The Russian air control detected a target approaching the Russian border over the neutral waters of the Black Sea at around 12:00 p.m. Moscow time (0900 GMT) on Tuesday, said the statement.

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.

The statement said the Russian jet performed a maneuver to "greet" the pilots of the US plane, the latter then changed route and flew away from the Russian border.

The Su-30 fighter successfully returned to its airfield.