Russia scrambles fighter jet to accompany U.S. military plane

FILE PHOTO: Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter jets fly in formation during the Victory Day parade, marking the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, above Red Square in Moscow, Russia May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia scrambled a MiG-31 fighter jet to accompany a U.S. military plane over the Barents sea on Friday, RIA news agency reported citing a Russian navy statement.

Russian military said the U.S. plane was identified as a P-8A Poseidon aircraft and the Russian fighter jet was returned to its base as soon as the U.S. plane made a U-turn and pulled away from the Russian border, according to RIA.