Moscow, Jun 28 (IANS): Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has directed the general staff of the Russian armed forces to propose a plan responding to US drone operations over the Black Sea, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Friday in a post on social media.

The ministry highlighted an increase in the frequency of US strategic drone flights over the Black Sea, which are conducting reconnaissance and targeting high-precision weaponry supplied to Ukrainian forces by Western countries, reports Xinhua news agency.

These drone flights heighten the risk of incidents involving Russian Aerospace Forces' aircraft, thereby increasing the likelihood of direct confrontation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia, said the ministry.

"This indicates a growing involvement of the US and NATO countries in the Ukraine conflict on the side of the Kyiv regime," it said, adding that "NATO countries will bear responsibility for these actions."