Russia deployed an Su-27 fighter jet to intercept a German naval plane over the Baltic Sea after the plane advanced toward its territory, Moscow said Monday.

The defense ministry said that the German aircraft — a P-3 Orion maritime patrol plane — did not cross Russia's borders and that it turned back after the confrontation.

"After the foreign military aircraft turned away from the state border of the Russian Federation, the Russian fighter returned to its home airfield," the ministry said.