"On 11 July, the Russian airspace surveillance identified an air target over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan [East Sea], flying in the direction of the state border of the Russian Federation", the ministry said in a statement.
Russian fighter jets escorted the reconnaissance aircraft at a safe distance and returned to the home base after the US aircraft flew away from the Russian border.
The Russian aircraft carried out the flight in line with international rules concerning neutral waters, the ministry added.