WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said Monday that a Russian SU-27 engaged in an "unsafe interaction" with a U.S. EP-3 aircraft in the international airspace over the Black Sea earlier on the same day.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in an announcement that the United States notes "with the highest level of concern" the latest incident of "unsafe" Russian military practices.

However, the encounter was first reported by Russia's RIA news agency on Monday, which cited the Russian Defence Ministry as saying that the Russian fighter jet intercepted a U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II and prevented it from violating the Russian airspace.