The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Monday that its air defense systems took down a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Russian territory of Belgorod and also prevented border violations by two US-made UAVs near the Black Sea.

The Russian statement noted that "today, at around 21:00 Moscow time [18:00 GMT], another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of Russia was prevented," adding that "the unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed by the air defense systems on duty over the territory of the Belgorod region."

Furthermore, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces had detected two US-made UAVs -- MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk -- headed toward the Russian territories from the southwestern region of the Black Sea. As such, Russian fighter jets were deployed to prevent any border violations. 

"In order to prevent a possible violation of the Russian state border and to counter the attempt of electronic reconnaissance UAVs, two Russian fighters on air defense forces duty were scrambled into the air," the statement read, explaining that "as a result of the actions of the air defense forces on duty, the reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles of the US Air Force changed the direction of flight and left the areas of aerial reconnaissance."

Russian Su-30 escorted US Reaper drone over Black Sea: Russian MoD

Earlier on Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said 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.

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