US reconnaissance aircraft orbits Black Sea for eight hours

Moscow (ANTARA) - A United States reconnaissance aircraft that circled the Black Sea region for approximately eight hours has landed in Romania, according to flight data analysed by RIA Novosti.

The Bombardier ARTEMIS II aircraft took off from Romania at around 05:40 GMT (08:40 Romanian time) and began patrolling over the Black Sea. Around 13:58 GMT (16:58 Romanian time), the aircraft returned to Romania and landed at Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport.

The aircraft was modified by the US company Leidos from a business jet into a platform capable of meeting radar reconnaissance requirements. In its military version, the aircraft is designated as ARTEMIS II.

The aircraft is routinely used for flights around the Kaliningrad region of Russia, as well as over the Black Sea, including near Crimea and other southern regions of Russia.

In recent years, Russia has repeatedly highlighted an unprecedented increase in NATO activity and the deployment of additional troops near its western borders. The Kremlin has stated that while Russia does not threaten any nation, it will not ignore actions that potentially jeopardise its interests.