In this image from a video provided by the US Air Force, a Russian fighter jet flies close to a U.S. MQ-9 reaper drone over Syria on July 23, 2023 (U.S. Air Force via AP)

The Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said on Sunday that a Russian Su-30 fighter jet escorted a US MQ-9A Reaper drone over the Black Sea as it was nearly about to trespass Russian airspace.

"To identify the aerial target and prevent the violation of the state border of the Russian Federation, a Su-30 fighter jet of the air defense force was scrambled. The crew of the Russian jet identified the aerial target as a US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper reconnaissance UAV. As the Russian fighter approached, the foreign reconnaissance UAV made a U-turn away from the state border of the Russian Federation," the NDCC said in a statement, adding that the drone did not violate Russia's airspace.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft that can be used for both surveillance and attack missions. It has a wingspan of 20 meters (66 feet), a maximum weight of 4.7 tonnes, and can stay in the air for up to 27 hours.

The last time Russia encountered a US drone was on August 5, when a Reaper MQ-9 military drone over the Black Sea was intercepted and fended off by a Russian Su-30 fighter jet.

Russia deployed a Su-30 fighter jet to "prevent a violation of the Russian state border" by a US Reaper MQ-9 military drone over the Black Sea.

The Ministry elaborated that "as the Russian fighter approached, the foreign reconnaissance drone performed a U-turn away from the border."

"The Russian aircraft returned safely to its airbase, there was no violation of the border," the Ministry added.