Defense Minister of Russia Andrei Belousov has instructed the general staff of the Russian armed forces to propose a response plan to US drone operations over the Black Sea, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Friday via social media.

The ministry noted an uptick in US strategic drone flights over the Black Sea, which are conducting reconnaissance and targeting for high-precision weaponry provided to Ukrainian forces by Western countries.

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These drone flights increase the risk of incidents with Russian Aerospace Forces’ aircraft, raising the chances of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, the ministry stated.

“This indicates a growing involvement of the United States and NATO countries in the Ukraine conflict on the side of the Kyiv regime,” the ministry added, emphasizing that “NATO countries will bear responsibility for these actions.”