A US reconnaissance plane circling near the Kaliningrad region lands in Romania

The American reconnaissance aircraft Bombardier ARTEMIS II landed in Romania, circling for about 4.5 hours around the Kaliningrad region, follows from flight data studied by RIA Novosti.

According to flight data, the plane took off from the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in Romania at about 08.37 Moscow time. At approximately 10.40 Moscow time, the plane made its first circle around the Russian enclave, completing the flight at approximately 15.13 Moscow time, after which it landed at the same airport from which it took off.

The aircraft is based at the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in Romania. The aircraft was converted from a business jet by the American company Leidos for the needs of radar reconnaissance. In its military modification it was called 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 seen unprecedented NATO activity along its western borders. The alliance is expanding initiatives and calling it "containment of Russian aggression." Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the buildup of alliance forces in Europe.