MOSCOW, October 7 (HS/RIA Novosti) - A US reconnaissance aircraft is conducting a flight over the Black Sea, according to flight data reviewed by RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

The Bombardier ARTEMIS II aircraft took off from Romania and, as of 6:01 GMT, is flying over the waters of the Black Sea. The aircraft's final destination is unknown.

The aircraft was converted by the US company Leidos from a business jet for radar reconnaissance needs. In its military modification, it received the name ARTEMIS II. It is regularly used for flights around the Kaliningrad region and over the Black Sea along Crimea and other southern regions of Russia.

In recent years, Russia has noted an unprecedented NATO buildup along its western borders under the pretext of deterring Russian aggression. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly reiterated that Russia is open to an equal-footed dialogue with NATO and expects the West to abandon its policy of militarizing the continent.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar