A Russian fighter jet was scrambled from the Hmeymim air base in Syria to shadow a US reconnaissance plane flying over the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea towards Russia’s military facilities, the Defense Ministry of Russia reported on Monday.

"On April 19, the Russian equipment controlling the airspace over the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea detected an air target performing a flight towards Russia’s military facilities in the Syrian Arab Republic. A fighter jet from the air defense alert quick reaction force of the Hmeymim air base was scrambled to identify the target," the ministry said in a statement.

The plane belonged to the US Navy. The Russian fighter shadowed the US spy plane, the ministry said.